His Dark Place
by Ladahdah
Summary: AU For me it started off cold, dark, and lonely three years ago. I mean it wasn't as difficult as the life I live now. Before the demands of me were pretty low. But now they were all just asking way too much from what I could give them. SoulxMaka
1. Losing the touch

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 1**

There was a dark place, located in an abnormally large castle. This dark place was large and cold, the air frigid to breathe. Of all the places someone could be there was a boy who was locked away in this shallow dark place.

At the moment, he was squatting down to the ground with his knees pulled to his chest. His only warmth was his own body heat and as the minutes pressed. He realized that his body heat wasn't going to be enough for the long cold night ahead. He now began to mumble aloud. They were dark thoughts about the people who placed him in here. At those thoughts he let out a shaky breath, it coming out in wisps of cold freezing air, cold dungeon air.

"This sucks." He muttered to the walls that imprisoned him. Closing bright ruby red eyes, he thought about a warm place but as he tried to, he realized that he could only picture the sun. He frowned. I mean sure the sun was great and all but not too pleasant to look at for a long period of time. Actually for some reason he couldn't _stop_ picturing it. "This _REALLY_ sucks." He spoke as it started to actually blind him.

"Idiot…you can come out now…" The boy realized that the door to his prison was wide open and a tall looming figure stood in the middle of it. Whoever it was they had a flashlight with them and they had the thing pointed towards his face. Shakily he placed an arm up, blocking the light as he tried to see the face of the person. "What are you gawking at dumb shit? What? Do you want to stay in here?" The boy's eyes went wide as he bounced upwards but with his legs being weak and all, he immediately fell forward in a heap of scrawny limbs in front of the person.

"Ahhh…" He gave out a cry of pain, only now realizing how truly weak he was.

Blowing away a lock of white hair in annoyance, he glanced up at the person who frowned in turn at him. Now upon closer inspection, he realized who stood before him. "Giriko…" He murmured in complete distain while his own face pulled into a grimace.

"The one and only brat." Giriko bent forward and stared at him for a few seconds…actually a few minutes and upon his close scrutiny, the boy unconsciously shifted away. "Hmm, wait are you that kid?"

"What kid?"

"That she wants." The tall man asked in a loud booming voice that he could have sworn shook his prison's walls.

"I don't know, am I?" He replied sarcastically. Honestly how should _he_ know?

"I can't remember faces…" Giriko said aloud thoughtfully, as his eyes wandered upward.

"Jeez, I wonder why, short memory perhaps? You know sometimes having a small brain can do that to a person." Slowing he propped up a hand beneath his chin. Staring up at the idiotic man whose own expression was rather thoughtful.

"Ahhh, well…WAIT, I remember that cynical attitude from anywhere!" The idiotic man before him stood to his full height, towering over him in all his dumb ass glory. He smirked.

"Light bulb." He replied, flicking a finger upwards just as Giriko's face contorted in anger.

"Soul Eater Evans…that snobbish attitude comes full circle with that last name of yours. You Evans are all the same." A grin formed upon Giriko's face as he watched Soul go ridged.

"SHUT UP, I AIN'T LIKE THOSE…" Before he could finish a large boot came down upon his head, pressing his face into the cold dank floor of his prison. One he happened to be living in for two months.

"Now listen brat, I actually didn't come here to fight with you…"

"Oh really?" He hissed. Sharp teeth clenched as he struggled against the overwhelming force of weight being pressured against his cranium.

"No, rather I came to set you free…" Soul's ears suddenly perked at his words, and he stopped struggling underneath Giriko's foot. "Heh, that's better…"

"Why…?" He asked while his voice shook from the mere thought of freedom.

"She ordered and therefore I do…" The sides of Soul's mouth pulled down into a tight frown as he fully relaxed.

"So…she's going to use me right?" He lightly questioned as his eyes glazed over.

"How the hell should I know you shitty brat?" Giriko removed his foot and bent down again so he could be at level with him. "Anyways we better leave soon…I'm suspecting the guards are just noticing all the corpses." A menacing chuckle escaped from Giriko, making Soul freeze as his eyes widened. "WHAT? Why should you give a flying rat's ass if I killed some people…they were all jerks anyways…right?"

"You didn't have to kill anyone…" Soul whispered his eyes closed tight as he bared jagged teeth. Giriko laughed harshly at him while grabbing him by his shoulder and shook it.

"Come now, it would've been boring if I didn't."

"Sadist moron…" Wincing as Giriko clenched his hand into his shoulder the guy laughed. See **SADISTIC**!

"You _really_ want to stay in here don't you kid?"

"NO!"

"Maybe you should learn to shut the hell up once and a while…wait, never mind don't even speak, I like you better that way." An insane grin formed on Giriko's features as he let go of his shoulder. He grimace, well _that_ was going to bruise. "Any who, lets be off!" Giriko stood and waited for him but unfortunately, Soul could not move at all. Well he could if he tried but that involved over exerting himself and last time he did that…he didn't wake up for two days. "Hurry up kid, I can hear someone coming!"

"I…can't…" Soul started before he was hauled into the air. The sudden moment of vertigo made his vision sway terribly.

"Pathetic…" Loud, booming voices were heard as he was carted off, down the elongate passage. Being up so high and with the jerky movements made by Giriko, his stomach rumbled and clenched. "If you puke on me, I'll gut you open." The threat made Soul swallow a huge lump in his throat just as Giriko blasted through a wall. The cold damp air made him dizzy as they were now outside.

_Outside…outside…outside!_ Soul was hit with such immense joy he forgot all too well that they were being chased.

"We ain't out of the woods yet brat." Just as Giriko spoke, Soul heard gunshots, lots of them too. Out of instinct, he ducked but only to get confused as to what was up and what was down for he suddenly was flipping in the air. He guessed the idiot went and threw him…

"YOU BASTARD-D!!"

**AU**


	2. The Robot

_**Ta da, and here is the second chapter, much longer than the first. Forgive the errors and if you enjoy this review. Again I was too pumped to get this out.**_

_**Beware of the swearing.**_

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 2**

That bastard treated him like some sort of rag doll! He threw him like a sack of god-forsaken potatoes, he did! Honestly, was he really that light? Or was Giriko insanely strong? Soul thought back to how Giriko had went blasting threw walls, carted him around like he weighed nothing, fought off guy after guy. Okay yeah he was some sort of super freak all right.

As the two of them crouched low to the ground behind a patch of bushes, they watched as guards zoomed by running off into the distance, missing them. Soul felt triumphant he was going to get out of here. He was going to leave this hellhole. He was going to leave his old life behind! An insane smile formed against his thin face, probably making him look ghastly in the moonlight.

"Get down!" Giriko hissed as he placed his hand a top his head and smashed his head into the ground. Soul struggled and swore as dirt was being pushed up into his nose and mouth, above him he heard that super freak bastard snickering! WAIT, I bet no one was even there!

"Baa…sturggff…" He managed out as Giriko went full-blown laughter causing him to finally release him. Soul pushed backwards from the ground and landed on his back. He muttered dark threats as he wiped the dirt from his brow and spat out all the gravel. "What the hell was that for?" He yelled his voice breaking…honestly; he was not used to all this yelling.

"You looked so happy a few moments ago…I prefer you when you're an angry little brat…"

"UGH!" Soul tried to jump him but he easily placed a large hand over his face and held him back. Soul struggled and grabbed onto his arm and tried pulling away. "Let go! I'm gonna _kick_ your ass!"

"HAH, right! In your state, I doubt you could even handle a diseased dog, you scrawny little shit." For the next few minutes it involved many threats and scuffles for dominance before Soul became too weak to even retort to being called a tiny little nothing ball of shit. God, this guy _had_ class.

"I…ah…" Giving up Soul finally flopped backwards, his small chest rising and falling as his heart sped the rate of a marathon runner.

"That's better…now the close is clear. Time to make our grand get away." Giriko picked him up again and slung him over his shoulder, in the process the guy's bony shoulder happened to be causing a mighty hurt in Soul's stomach. It didn't happen to be any more comfortable when the super freak below him starting running. Soul grunted as nausea came back to him.

"HEY, brat there's the exit. Can ya feel the freedom?" Soul smirked even though the guy was a bothersome moron. He couldn't help but thank him…in his mind! Eyes peered toward what Giriko titled as freedom as he saw a large luxury limo. His eyebrows knitted together.

"THAT'S our get away?"

"I know not flashy…" Soul rolled his eyes as they reached the limo and Giriko tossed him in. "DRIVE OLD MAN, DRIVE!" As Soul tried to properly sit upright, the limo bolted forward sending him sprawling toward the floor of the car, his face meeting with the carpet in an unpleasant way. Shakily he rolled to his side just as limo steered at a sharp left causing him to go rolling across the floor.

"SUCKS!" He hissed as that was all he could manage as he rolled back and forth on the floor a voice above him laughing in mock amusement. As the car speed off and the minutes went on he noticed that the limo wasn't going as fast as it was minutes before. That it seemed no one was chasing them and Giriko was oddly giddy in a moronic fashion as he suddenly broke out a bottle of wine. Where he got it was a mystery to him.

Lying flat on his back his chest shook as this feeling enveloped him. His chest felt really light and air was coming easier to him because the limo was a nice up grade then the stank dungeon that how many minutes ago he used to be living in. Closing his eyes, he let this new darkness take him. The adrenaline finally ran out and he past right out. He thought it was because of how tired and weak he was…then again it could have been that sudden kick to the head…he wasn't sure, he was no doctor.

* * *

Eyes fluttering open he noticed that he was being dragged against cold hard floors. Eyes wide and frighten he wondered where he was. Did they get him? Were they putting him back? _No, no, no_… As panic overrode his senses, the person dragging him dropped him and as they did, he sprinted upwards and made a pathetic dash for it. It being pathetic because his legs were all flimsy and he immediately fell over, of course that didn't stop him as he started to crawl away.

This did not go unnoticed as the person reached down and grabbed a fistful of his hair, yanking him back.

"FUCK OFF, I'M NOT GOING BACK, I'M NOT GOING BACK!" He repeated aloud struggling.

"My god brat you are jumpy! Calm the hell down!" Immediately recognizing the voice, he _still_ tried to scramble away. "Little…" Smash went his fist against his already bruising head. Soul curled up and started to rock back and forth, as pain thudded against his eyes making everything a splitting image of two.

"STOP HITTING ME! It's annoying…" Soul hissed out as he swore for a couple of seconds. "AND WHAT'S WITH DRAGGING ME?" Turning his head to glare up Giriko the guy turned his gaze the other way.

"It was annoying carrying you around idiot so I dropped your skinny ass." Giriko replied a grin marring his ugly mug, his very ugly mug, thought Soul. "Now come on, were already late." Soul squinted up at him as Giriko made a move to grab him again. He flinched away from him instinctively as he propped himself up.

"I can walk." He supplied as he moved forward on his own…for once. Giriko shrugged and proceed to walk a head of him and as Soul followed, his sharp eyes swept his surroundings. They were walking down a passage one different from the one that lead him to his prison and the only same thing was it still being creepy. Black floors and walls the only light was the lanterns that were spread from one another by a good ten feet. The passage was wide in width and to him seemed to go on forever as they both walked forward.

Minutes seemed to drag, as they weren't meeting their destination. Soul had to hold back a witty comment as they trudged along. He doubted that Giriko would appreciate him saying just about anything to him and he knew the guy liked using his fists lots so he remained silent as he followed the tall guy. Eyes downward he followed Giriko's looming shadow as he thought over his predicament.

Soul knew that eventually she would come for him. Well not her exactly but he knew that he was going to be talking to her soon anyways. Eyes darkened as he thought about her and her callous ways. He knew many secrets about her in the end what he knew may have well placed him in that prison cell for two months. Of course he could only speculate but the odd occurrences just mesh well with her. Then again the whole thing that happened…was too overbearing for him to even think about. His heart clenched at the memory.

Biting his lip, he accidentally bit hard enough to break the skin and blood fell from his bottom lip. Cautiously he wiped the fluid onto the back of his ruddy shirt. At that, he glanced self-consciously at his get up. A dirty white long sleeve shirt covered his upper body, hiding the fact of his protruding ribs and graying skin, the conditions of his cell not good for any human. On his hips, he tied a belt around them holding up grey pants, ones having a tear here and there. He had a suspicion that there was a hole someone in his backside but every time he checked, he could not find anything.

He looked rather pathetic he noted as he traveled along. I mean he didn't even have any shoes; he was just walking around bare foot. Also with Giriko's little escapade he was bruised and bleeding. He also had green and brown spots located all over his clothes from gravel to grass stains. He looked rather pathetic indeed. Eyes traveling upward he noticed that two very large oak doors were in front of him and he immediately stopped.

Giriko glanced back at him and looked at him giving him a dirty look, acknowledging his clothes. Soul self-consciously looked away. He wasn't used to being dressed up like this. In his years of living in that castle everything he wore was formal and dressy, unlike what it was now. Messy and baggy like some hobo. Giriko snorted as he pushed the large doors open for the both of them, they walked in, Soul found himself in a large circular room one that had eight doors, and including the one, they just entered in. Eyes sweeping the room he noticed that in the middle sat a large throne and in it sat a woman. One he had the pleasure of being acquainted with many times in his young life.

"Arachne" He acknowledged the powerful witch before him with a tilt of his head. At this Giriko seemed slightly annoyed because he immediately grabbed his head and forced it down causing him to bow in an awkward way. Immediately Soul yelled out.

"Let go, damnit!"

"You bow when in Arachne's presence brat!" Giriko yelled back at him forcing him down more. Soul could swear that he heard something snap.

"Now, now Giriko don't be so mean, I don't like mean children." At her frosty words, Giriko released his hold on him and Soul walked forward clamping his neck and rubbing some feeling back into it.

"Asshole! You treat me like a freaking punching bag!" Soul hissed out barring sharp teeth in his direction. Giriko raised a fist back at him and made a movement forward but with a wave of her hand, Arachne stepped down from her black throne and approached the two of them, her movements lithe and sly as she gracefully stopped before them.

"Soul Eater, it is nice to have you here all safe and sound…but a mess you are. We have to have you cleaned up." She placed a thin hand upon his head for she was taller then him. Soul flinched away and took a few steps back from the spider witch. Glaring at her.

"Maybe after you tell me WHY you want me here…" Soul crossed his arms as he waited for her to reply. She smiled as she brought out a fan and started to wave it before her.

"Still mad I see…"

"Who wouldn't be!" He asked outrage. "I mean you…" Before he could finish she snapped the elegant fan shut gaining his attention.

"There are always reasons for the things I do and I needed to distant you from your family…any how Soul it is not my fault that they over reacted the way they did. It was them who placed you in that cell, not I."

"But…"

"Soul, you know of your family's nature." Soul frowned and looked downward. "Don't be sad dear…you're safe now…" Arachne made a move to hug him but Soul placed a hand up.

"What is it that you want?"

"You don't know?" She asked smiling. Soul looked away from her gaze and admitted to himself that he did have a clue as to why she wanted him. "Well I'm guessing that you do Soul and because of what I want I'll give you what you want." Soul glanced curiously upwards toward the woman as she casually walked around him.

"What I want? You don't know what I want."

"Heh, it's easy to know what you want Soul Eater, I can see your soul and its quivering just thinking of your desire." Cautiously he placed a hand over his heart.

"You can't see what I want." He told himself as if to settle him.

"I've known you for many years and I've seen that desire, the desire to be free…but you know as well as I that you can never get it, not with that family of yours."

"Freedom? You think that's what I want." Soul replied reluctantly.

_Lie__…_

"Yes…I can give it to you…"

_Lie, lie…_

"Hah, I told you woman you don't know what I want…"

_Lie, lie, lie…_

"Let me tell you a story Soul. It's fairly nice and I think you'll like it. Let me guess…I'm betting that family of yours never told you any type of story so as a nice little offer of what I can give you; I'll tell you a fairy tale. I believe some parents read fairy tales to their children." Soul quizzically watched as Arachne stopped before him. "It involves a boy, for years he was treated as if someone who was going to be the best. Only time and time again he failed to be the best. The people he tried to prove to had only look down at him with callous and cynical eyes, taking apart every little thing that was wrong with him."

"This story sounds familiar…" Soul started sarcastically only to hush up as the woman placed a finger up to her pale lips.

"As he lived his life to their rules he wished for something different and to what he could never grasp. What was it that could be different for him? He wondered and wondered until one day he caught a glimpse of it. It was only for a few seconds of course but it was then he decided what he wanted. This little boy was foolish and thought that what he wanted was attainable. Of course, it wasn't, his plans for gaining what he wanted failed him, and he was punished severely. In the end he gave up on what he desired and lived just for their expectations."

"Is that it?" Soul asked. She shook her head.

"Until one day someone came along and took pity at this ever so lonely child and decided that _they_ would free them…but giving him what he wanted and destroying what prevented him from gaining it…" Arachne finished the story with a sly smile as she watched Soul's reaction to it. His eyes were wide in thought and his eyes snapped up to meet her eyes. Something dangerous was dancing in them.

"There's no one who could do it…people would find out something…something…" Thoughts ran rapid in him; no one could do it…

_Lie…_

"I can and I will only ask for a small favor in return…" Soul did not know but some how she made her way behind him and embraced him in a hug. Soul became stiff at the unfamiliar pressure behind him as she pressed to him tightly her hands holding him and Soul became suddenly dazed. Eyes unfocused as this warmth began in his chest; he was not familiar with it.

"What…?" He asked quietly. Unknown to Soul a smile formed upon the witch's face.

"Get me a Meister…" Soul immediately broke away from her embrace and made himself distant from the woman with his eyes set on her in a glare.

"OH! So that's it huh? I knew you wanted something that could get me in loads of trouble…well guess what? NO!" His arms swept across the space between them as he back up slowly from her. Of course, she wanted one of those _things_…something that any one knew were dangerous and could get you killed. Those things were tricky, breakable…, and human. He closed his eyelids hiding his ruby red eyes as Arachne folded her arms.

The whole time Giriko had remained silent but he could not keep quiet any more. "YOU LITTLE BRAT! Don't ignore a request from her, she's offering you a lot considering what you need…" Soul ignored him as he adjusted his eyes on Arachne. Who happened to look quite calm even though he flat out rejected her.

"Giriko it's quite alright, if he doesn't want his freedom. He can go back to living in that cell. It's fine with me." A heartless smirk appeared on her paled face as she watched Soul immediately start to freak.

"I'm not going back there! Fuck that!" Soul turned away and tried to reach one of the doors in the room only for Giriko to suddenly appear before him with a hand rose. "Shit...!" Soul not wanting any more pain skidded to a stop.

"Don't touch him Giriko." Both Soul and Giriko paused to look back at Arachne as she casually walked back to her throne.

"Why the hell not?" Giriko yelled back to her, confused just like Soul.

"He won't get far considering once he leaves the castle he'll be surrounded. Your family is looking high and low for you Soul Eater. I just have to call and tell them you're here you know how fast they are. You wouldn't make it past the border…" Grief stricken by her words Soul froze and looked downward his face ashamed.

"How stupid am I? I can never leave not as long…"

"As your family is around." Arachne finished for him. Soul nodded dumbly. "Only they can be taken care of…"

"Pfft, yeah right."

"Soul you don't know how far my power goes. I'll set you free, just as long as you do me that favor." Reluctantly Soul looked back at the witch as she sat down lifting a leg to cross her legs together. A hand placed under her chin as she gazed at him. Tensing slightly at what he had to decide. He closed his eyes and looked upwards weighing the pros and cons, only to realize.

The pros far outweighed the cons.

"I'll do it."

"That's a good boy. Now only a few more things to do and will get you all cleaned up." The woman sounded far too cherry much to Soul and Giriko's liking.

"Like what? All I have to do is find you a Meister and bring one back for you…_right_?" Arachne shook her head and dumbstruck Soul raised an eyebrow.

"Eh?"

"I need a Meister that has trust in you because we need it to cooperate for you." Cooperate with me? Soul thought. "I mean you can't get them to do anything unless they want to…I am half human I know these things."

"_Right_…how do you figure I get one to _cooperate_ with me?" Soul asked as the woman smiled back as she replied.

"Obviously you need to get to know them, be with them, and tell them they're _special_. They need love sometimes…or friendship, it depends on what type you pick."

"What type I pick?" Soul asked again, _there's different types_?

"Yes, boy or girl." Oh, that's what she means.

"Okay then how do I go about picking one?" Soul walked over to her throne which if he had not mentioned before was a top steps one had to climb up to get to.

"I happen to have a list compiled of approved Meister's for you to chose from, just point and pick. I will give you all the information you need on them."

"Well ain't that nice of you." Sarcastically he stood below her as she watched with dark eyes at his movements. She nodded and with a snap of her fingers images, upon images appeared in the circular room. Images of Meister's. Amazed at her magic he looked across the room at all the different Meister's. _They look like us_…

He frowned of course they would look like us. He thought sourly as his eyes circled all around him, the images were life sized but slightly see through to look at. Boys and girls they all were unique and different to look upon. He looked back up at Arachne. "You just want me to pick one?" She nodded her head showing him a smile.

He frowned and decided to move through the crowd of Meister's as he studied each and every one of them. He didn't know why but he just wanted to see what he was offered. He didn't want someone odd looking, he just wanted someone nice to look at seeing how he would be spending lots of amounts of time seeing them. He would have to dedicate his time to this human because if he wanted them to trust him. He would have to do a lot of sucking up, he guessed.

As he walked through the crowd of Meister's he wondered why he was being so meticulous and why he felt like he was looking for someone. It didn't really matter he thought. The sooner he got someone the sooner to freedom. Nodding he stopped and closed his eyes. _Okay just pick someone Soul_…he whispered to himself.

As he walked on through the crowd, he noticed a pair of green eyes looking at him. That catching him as odd because all the other holograms or whatever they were didn't seem to be noticing him. However, those green eyes he caught a glimpse of a few moments ago…made him think that they were following him. Pulling backwards and retracing his steps. He looked around for those green eyes and found them seven steps back.

The source of those green eyes belonged to a girl and upon closer inspection; her eyes were _not_ following him. It must have been a trick of the eyes. Soul studied the girl further to note she was a few inches shorter than he was and had really light blond hair. She smiled at him. Soul backed up.

He didn't know why but he wanted her. I mean she wasn't interesting looking she was kind of plain if he had to say but something about her seemed to attract him. Something in her…weird…he thought but ignored the feeling starting up in him. With a wave of his hand, he shot it up in the air.

"I want this one." He announced and all the Meister's around him disappeared.

"Ah…good eye…" Arachne snapped her fingers again and the image of the girl and him moved to where he was before he went searching for a Meister. Soul glanced up at the witch as she peered down at them. "Why'd you pick her?" She asked kindly and with a shrug of his shoulders Soul frowned.

"No reason…got boring looking at all those err…images and decided to just pick one."

He lied.

"Well this Meister here is a very good choice that is why I said you got a good eye…"

"Whatever." Nonchalantly Soul glanced at the girl again, as she remained the same way, just standing there looking slightly hollow and empty. He realized at the very back of his mind he wanted to see her in person. Of course, he wouldn't let himself admit it as he gazed back up at Arachne.

"Do you want to know her name?" Soul looked back and forth between Arachne and the girl and locked eyes with her.

"Yeah…"

"Her name is Maka…"

_**The end of chapter two, see longer than the first hoped you enjoyed that. Anyways for some waiting for Maka, I don't think she'll actually show up (IN PERSON) till at least chapter 4. But for now, here's a…hologram of her?**_

**Inspirations such as songs for this chapter include…**

**Dance Gavin Dance – **The robot with human hair pt. 1 – And I told them I Invented Times new roman, **Digitalism**** - **Pogo


	3. Shame

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 3**

"That was interesting…" Giriko supplied as they watched the thin boy be lead out of the circular room. As the two adults watched the boy leave they turned to one another.

"And it all worked out…he even picked **her**."

"Are you sure that he can do it? Cuz I'm more than capable than that brat…" Giriko frowned thinking about it.

"No need…he'll do just fine and we got three years till the weapon is made to perfection. He has all the time he needs for him to get her to…trust him."

"I hope you know your evil right?" Giriko smirked in amusement as they both stepped off the platform.

"And if I didn't I would be fairly dense now wouldn't I?"

* * *

As Soul was lead out of the circular room away from the crazies in the other room. He thought back on the information that was given to him about the girl. Her full name was Maka Albarn and supposedly, where she lived her family was fairly famous and that her home was located in the fame Death City. He heard about that place, it was where weapon's and Meister's lived peacefully together in suppose harmony. Soul snorted at the mere thought. Of course, the only way they coincide with one another was by having the Meister's control weapons. Also having these weapons be brainwashed some bullshit about being loyally in servitude to the Meister's.

It was all bull crap to him. When he looked upon a Meister and weapon's supposed bond it sounded like a death trap. Protect the Meister no matter what…no thanks to something like that. He thought annoyed that some weapons would go through such misery. No way would he go blindingly in front of a blow aimed for a Meister. He wasn't stupid…it's not like someone would do that for him anyways.

As he thought about what Death City was all about he came upon a conclusion. For him to get the girl to trust him he may have to prove to her that he _was_ reliable enough to…to…become her weapon.

"Crap." He smacked himself in the forehead.

"In here is the bathroom, there are supplies for you to clean yourself up with…" The tall man wearing the strange white mask with three holes located upon the mask directed him to a room.

"Wait…you mean I gotta…?" He began but stopped when the **man** turned his head slightly to stare at him. "Uh…wait got it dumb question never mind." The guy left him as he entered the room.

For some reason he thought the guy was going to come into the room with him to help him out…he was _so_ out of it right now. As he walked into the room, he noticed it to be a bathroom with a fairly large tub located in the middle of it. Water happened to already fill the contents of the tub he noted as steam drifted above the water. He noticed too that bubbles were in it. It looked like a nice warm, bubble bath. _How gay…_

Ignoring the tub he looked around to notice some shampoo and soap located off to the side and some white towels hanging by the wall. He walked around the room to see a door that lead to a toilet. As he stopped in front of the bath, he noticed some clothes hanging on the door for him. He glanced down at the tub and stuck his hand in. He shivered in pleasure as warmth enveloped his bruising knuckles. A wide smile grew on his face as he showed teeth. In a hurry, he threw off his clothes and got in the bath very slowly letting his body adjust.

He would hiss here and there and after a few seconds, he was fully in.

He did not know how many minutes had gone by but it felt like he was in there for an hour, scrubbing away dirt and grime off his person and washing himself repeatedly. After he finally got out, the water looked really diseased…shrugging he dried off and walked over to a mirror located on a wall behind the bath. He looked at himself in the mirror.

His white hair actually white and skin not gray he noticed that he was incredibly skinny that he looked like he was dying or something. Eyes tensed he thought that he needed to gain a few pounds more so he looked less like a stick with bones sticking off it.

Skin and bones that's all he was.

Looking down he saw a sink with a toothbrush and toothpaste located on the side. Thank you! He thought. For the next several minutes he spent it brushing his teeth, there also happened to be floss so he spent an extra five minutes doing that. Feeling so clean he felt dizzy because he actually smelled good he found the clothes and pulled them on. They were a pair of baggy black jeans and a plain white t-shirt.

He sniffed the fabric and stretched upwards. "AH, I could get used to this…" He laughed but stopped immediately as he bent forward to hold his stomach. He suddenly felt really sick as his stomach twisted in hot pain. "Ow, ow, ow!" He complained when suddenly a very loud gurgling noise erupted from him. He blushed.

He needed something to eat, and fast. He straighten and went for the door, pulling it open, he walked out only to stop as his pants started to fall off him. Looking behind him he went back and grabbed that rope and tied up his pants again, finished he walked out of the room and into the hall where he bumped into another guy only shorter with the same weird mask on.

"If you will follow me Soul Eater, we have food waiting for you." Soul couldn't help but grin.

* * *

Arachne found that she had to keep Soul for a few days so that he could recover from everything he was put through while living in that cell for those two months. Using her magic she increased his recovery one that should of have taken a couple of weeks to be fixed.

After she deemed him fit enough to leave she had one last parting with him.

"Soul Eater…here's everything that you'll need to get yourself out and across the border. Death City is not far; maybe a two or three days walk and in this bag is a map so that you won't get lost." As she listed everything in there, Soul noticed that she forgot one thing…

"What about money?" Soul blinked owlishly up at her.

"Oh ho boy your not be needing any money."

"Are you crazy?"

"Why…"

"PFFT, yeah I know _your_ crazy but honestly woman what am I gonna sleep on? What am I gonna eat!" He asked going slightly edgy as this was going to be his first time ever outside in the world.

"Improvise…in the bag is a sleeping bag so I know you'll do fine…"

"But what if…"

"Now if you can't survive a little three day hike you won't be able to handle anything that Death City throws at you." Soul frowned and glared up at the witch. "Anyways once you arrived at Death City I have already enrolled you at its academy there and given you money for apartment and other essentials. Honestly Soul do you think it would be wise to give you money on this hike of yours?"

"Well…I DO need to eat…"

"It wouldn't be nice if you got robbed a long the way or if someone suspicious of _you_ came across _you_ and found _you_ with money that normally someone your age shouldn't even have…" She paused for a few seconds. "Actually it would be best if stay away from other travelers…the road there can be quite dangerous but then again you're a weapon so you'll do fine."

"Right…" Handing him the bag she stepped back.

"Ahhh…this is how a parent must feel like." Soul glared at her and in return, she smirked down at him as she pulled out that obnoxious looking fan. "Any how Soul dearest you remember what you have to do…and if you have the need to call me…talk to a spider I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

"Uhh…well I'll be going now."

"Right." Awkwardly Soul looked at the witch as she looked at him. Suddenly Giriko appeared and gave him a kick off the steps. He landed in a heap of bones and finally some muscle on the ground.

"Good luck brat."

"BASTARD!"

* * *

He was finally done with that place and that witch and that super freak, dumb ass, bastard of a moron, SHIT FACE, Giriko…he walked forward on the path clearly seen on the map Arachne handed to him. Studied it he stopped as it said that he would have to head south which would be clearly described on a sign that was near a crossroads. He looked up and ahead of him; he saw a large sign that had two arrows pointed in opposite directions one reading South and the other North and he was coming from the east. Stopping at the sign, he turned left and started his journey to Death City.

When he started walking the sun was directly behind him but a few hours later it was above him and as he walked, he studied his surroundings. Smiling at where he was. Back where he used to call his home they had a garden located in the very center of the castle. It was a very vast garden one when he was little used to always play in. That was back when he wasn't a failure and was treated like an actually being rather than a piece of useless shit.

He sighed at the awful memory only to open his eyes to what was around him. He still couldn't believe where he was. He was free and no one had their eyes glued to him, watching his every move. He could finally be himself, not having to worry about manners, about walking properly…nothing! Triumphant he breathed in what he now dubbed freedom and let out a shaky breath as happiness swelled in him.

"FUCK YEAH!" He roared pumping his fist into the air.

He continued his way along a stupid grin on his face as he walked forward. Now he had all the time in the world to get to Death City so as he thought about all the good things. There had to come a time when he would start thinking about some of the bad things…and that happened sooner rather than later.

Dazed his eyes traveled up at the sky and watched as large fluffy clouds went by and as he stared up at them…he thought of his mother. Strange how clouds made him think of his mother. Then again, his mother's hair was white and curly…and the clouds were white and fluffy looking. With eyes closed, he saw her…old and faded out like a worn out picture. Tears at the edges, the image was slowly disappearing like his mother did all those years ago. A sigh escaped him as he thought of her.

His family…anger filled him as his fist clenched he tried to relax as he ran a hand down his face.

Stomping his foot down he plopped right down in the middle of the road to think. Now what he was doing right now was heading toward Death City meet some Meister there, get to know her and bring her back to Arachne and when he did that Arachne would supposedly grant him his freedom.

Another option was for him to just not even go to Death City and walk his own path. Of course that could end up with him getting captured by his family for there influence's went far. In the world there was no way for him to get away from them. Unless he went to Death City.

Another option was for him to return back to his family and hope that their punishment for him wasn't _too_ serious…_right_ they were probably going to hang him high. Hands ruffled up his hair as he swore repeatedly. Nothing seemed to work out for him. He started to over think things and when he did that…he would start over reacting to mostly anything.

"STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!" He yelled at the top of his lungs suddenly going crazy as he started to pound the gravel in. Time after time, he brought down his fist into the earth bringing them back up and hitting and hitting. Eyes slightly tearing at the sides he gave out an agonizing scream of defeat, falling backwards, out of breath.

Completely tired physically and mentally he calmed himself and dazed watched the sky above him. "Please just tell me what to do…" He asked to no one in particular just himself maybe. Quiet for a few seconds the world did nothing as he lied there. No sign of what to do was given to him. Nothing.

"Just great…" He muttered as he closed his eyes and stared into darkness. For a while, he lay there doing nothing, just lying in the middle of the road not caring about anything on the outside. That was until he heard some footsteps coming from behind him. Ignoring them, he let his eyes remained shut. As the footsteps came closer, he heard voices, two of them.

"HEY, LOOK!" One of them happened to be annoying. Keeping his eyes tight, he just wished for them to past him by. "Some one's lying on the ground!"

_Well duh…_

"Um…I don't think we should bother him…"

"But what if he's dead? THIS POOR SOUL NEVER EVEN GOT TO MEET ME THE GREAT…!"

"UM, I'm alive so no worries…just lying here…" Grunting Soul sat up and turned to look at the two new strangers. A boy and a girl to what race they were he didn't know only that they seemed to be travelers as they had bags pack to their backs.

"That's good! Well I've bet your wondering who I AM!" The one he dubbed, annoying spoke loudly with a childish nature and looks. The guy looked to be around his age.

"No not really…I'm just minding my own business." Soul replied dusting himself off noticing that his knuckles were bleeding. _Great_…

"Um…he's hurt…" The girl, his companion he assumed pointed to his knuckles and looking down at them, he glanced back up to meet his eyes with hers. She was taller than them and…very voluptuous, he immediately dubbed her woman.

"OH, did you get into a cool fight or something?" The annoying one asked. Soul frowned and shook his head wondering how to explain himself.

"No…I just…fell…"

"Hmm, right…" The annoying one with the strange spiky blue hair smirked at him and turned back to his companion. Soul looked at them both and thought them strange, the shorter of the two, the boy seemed to be the one in charge as he yelled and the girl just listened then again he didn't know them so maybe he was just jumping to conclusions.

"Anyways, my guardian tells me that you look familiar…what's your name?"

"I don't go around telling strangers my name." Soul replied making a move to walk away from the two.

"Oh…well my name is the GREAT BLACK STAR! I am the one who will transcend into god hood with the help of my guardian…"

"Tsubaki." The girl smiled down at him.

"Guardian…god hood? What are you two traveling missionaries?" They both were strange indeed. The one named Black Star, which he thought was a ridiculous name to go telling people…shook his head and laughed.

"No, were mercenaries and I don't think what we get paid to do has anything to do with…missionaries unless you want to say were two people on a mission!" The kid yelled to him. Soul stuck a pinky into his ear.

"Right…well I'll be on my way." As he tried again to walk off, he noticed as the girl, Tsubaki whispered something into Black Star's ear. Ignoring them and writing them off as weird, he grabbed his bag and started to leave the two of them.

He heard laughter from behind and suddenly Black star was in front of him and in his hand was a weird looking sword or a smaller version of a scythe attached to a longer chain that had another sharp object on it... Curiously, he looked down at the weapon and back up at Black Star, and retained a composed posture but at the same time, his legs were ready to jump backwards.

"Heh, lucky for us that _you_ happen to be our mission…" Black Star grinned wide and barred teeth as he stood in a fighting stance.

"Mission?" Soul asked remaining cool.

"Yeah…the capture of a runaway. Soul Eater Evans."

When Soul heard his last name, he lost all composure…

_**Well Chapter 3 is done and this will probably be the last update until Sunday. It could be earlier if I get more demand for it… (Looks around) no? I didn't think it would work hah…hah…uhh…REVIEW!**_

_**Inspirations for this chapter include.**_

**DANCE GAVIN DANCE-**This band is awesome go give them some love and no this is not a name of a song.


	4. Glory

_**Well chapter 4 is out earlier than expected huh? Hah, well anyways hope you enjoy and I just want to say that I appreciate all the hits on my story…there's over 300 for the first chapter, 180 for the second and 125 for the third…meaning that people read this shit! (Dur…sorry) BUT, if you do have the time I would appreciate a review, please my heart cries for some recognition for this story! **_

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 4**

"What…?"

"You heard me runaway. I'm here to take you back…your family is REALLY worried about you…" Shakily Soul tensed as Black Star made a move toward him and with his weapon out before him Soul wondered where he pulled it out from.

"Heh…me? Soul Eater Evans? You got the wrong guy…" Soul didn't want to fight the guy he seemed pretty strong judging by his fighting stance. It was one that was practiced to perfection only someone who trained their whole life could pull off such a stance so calmly.

"It's him right? Tsubaki?" Black Star yelled out and when he did Soul looked around himself but still keep his eyes on Black Star. Looking in his peripheral vision he tried to see where Tsubaki, Black Star's partner went off to…

"Yes, it's him, the hair and eyes give him away."

"HOLY SHIT YOUR WEAPON JUST TALKED!" Black Star deadpanned…

"Of course she just talked! She IS a weapon!" Black Star yelled back at him suddenly annoyed at his loud outburst. Soul composed himself.

"Oh…so you're a Meister are you? First time meeting one…" Soul replied nonchalantly on the outside, but on the inside he was absolutely blown away. So this was a Meister? Someone with the ability to harness a weapon…? Soul let a smile escape him and as he stared at Black Star. A large grin over came his face and fierce jagged teeth were barred in Black Star's direction.

"There's suddenly an uncontrollable amount of blood lust coming from him Black Star, be on guard!" Tsubaki relayed to Black Star who immediately distant himself from Soul Eater whose face was encompassed in shadow only his insane grin was seen.

"A Meister…huh?"

"Yeah…? What's the big deal?" Black Star couldn't comprehend why his target, Soul Eater Evans was grinning like a lunatic. So what if he was a Meister…it wasn't like he was…extinct or something…

"I'm just surprised is all…that they would send someone as lowly as you to come and capture me!" Soul yelled out as he started to laugh it all sounding stupid to him. Why would they hire some Meister to get him? They should have send at least someone stronger. Anyways, didn't his family loathe Meister's?

"You hear that Tsubaki? He thinks were some sort of weaklings!" Black Star smirked down at his weapon as she gave a light laugh. The two weren't morons they both stayed on guard while Soul had his little demonic laugh and while he did they both studied their surroundings and Black Star came up with the best solution to capture Soul.

"A Meister and a weapon working together? Hell yeah, I think your both weaklings…such a bond is troublesome and faulty in the contract of working with one another…no way can you two beat me. Maybe if you were both weapons you would have the chance. But seeing how one of you is a Meister I doubt it."

"Hmpth, insulting our partnership? I heard about you Evans…looking down upon Meister's like me, well Soul Eater..." Black Star grinned wide. "Your family doesn't find me pathetic maybe they just find you as a weakling…so stop insulting yourself!"

"Insulting myself?" Soul scoffed.

"Yeah buddy, _insulting_ yourself. Your calling us weakling's right. Well your family hired us to get _you_. That means they think of you as some scrawny shit if they are willing to pay a Meister and a weapon to come and get you." Soul seethed. "OR they think you're not a weakling because they hired **us**."

Soul didn't know what to say so he remained silent, tensing as he watched Black Star's grin grow in size.

"Hey look Tsubaki; I got him to shut up…"

"We should apprehend him soon Black Star…"

"Wait this guy needs to know how great I am! Let's have a little fun for now Tsubaki and show him who's the big one here…" Snapping the chain together Black Star made a dash toward him raising the weapon with one hand up and the other out before him as the two began their attack on him.

"I ain't your buddy!" Soul yelled as he twisted backwards with his hands in his pockets. Dodging each and every cut and slice aimed for him. Soul watched Black Star's movements noticing they were precise and accurate. The guy was deadly with Tsubaki as he maneuvered behind him by rolling to his left and springing up toward his back side. Arm raised up in an attempt to cut him down. Soul clenched his teeth as he pulled his hands from his pockets and made a move to roll forward out of the blow aimed for his head.

Black Star immediately followed him by throwing up the weapon into the air and aimed a kick to his legs as he attempted to stand up. Instead of hitting him he kicked air as Soul rolled forward again and skidded to a stop watching as the weapon Black Star was holding a few moments before came back into his grasp and he snapped the chain together again both arms holding onto the handles of the weapons connected together by the chain.

"You're pretty good for someone whose suppose to be pathetic…"

"Hmpth, maybe I was wrong about Meister's…" Soul began as Black Star eyed him. "Or…maybe not." Soul ran forward and decided that hitting the kid was going to help. He bet that he was hit on the head MANY times when he was little. Soul aimed a direct hit for the gut but Black Star made an aim for his hand and not wanting to be one handed he pulled it backwards and dropped to the ground. Swinging out his leg to knock down Black Star.

Only he jumped in the air and at the same time used his back as a step so he could fling forward. Grimacing, Soul turned as he watched Black Star slid to a halt bringing up dust and gravel into the air. Waiting as the dust died down he made a mental note of his environment. Thinking of the over brush and tall trees with branches that hanged from above them. A plan formed in his mind.

What this kid really needed was a good surprise attack. Smirking Soul ran forward again and as Black Star prepared to meet with him Soul kicked up dirt causing it to provide a good covering for him to jump upwards. Black Star was coughing while staring through the dust cloud looking for him. But with Soul's jump he managed to grab onto a branch over hanging above him and pulled himself up into the covering of the trees.

He watched below him dumbstruck, Black Star found him gone. He voiced his findings aloud to Tsubaki who told him to stay on guard. Soul smiled from above sharp teeth clenched as he drooled a little. The prospect of how to come down upon the idiot's head forming in his mind. Maybe with both fists he could come fast enough to have the guy's brain socket to his gut. The very images making him drool all the more. Sadistically he prepared to drop down on him.

Only he got a little curious when he saw Black Star go stock-still as he closed his eyes for what ever reason, Soul didn't really care. To him, all that Black Star was doing was giving him an even better chance at knocking his brains in. Whatever was his last thought as he prepared to jump. Just for Black Star to throw forward the chains into the air and above him a star took form the last words he heard as the chains began to revolve around him were.

"TRAP STAR!" He bellowed and Soul's body was encased in some invisible force as he went rigid above Black Star. Watching wide eyed as Black Star found his position, brought upwards the chained scythe, and aimed to cut him open.

_I can't die…not here…not by him…_

With all his being he demanded for his body to move. Sweat beaded off his forehead as he watched the chained scythe come closer and with one final push of his will power he brought out one arm and with that one arm it turned into a long black scythe. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed in the forest as both boys wide eyed in amazement pushed off from one another as Soul landed on the ground before a very stunned Black Star.

"You're…a weapon?" Black Star asked. Soul stood up and gave a shrug of his shoulders.

"They didn't give you that much information on me did they? Typical." Soul frowned slightly as his eyes tensed at the look Black Star was giving him. Swinging out his arm which now was a full on weapon sharp as glass he transformed it back into his arm. The weight on his shoulder disappeared as the extra weight was lifted. Unclenching his fist, he gave Black Star a tiny smile with no teeth shown. "I congratulate you Black Star, Tsubaki." He tilted his head forward in recognition of the two.

"Heh…well I guess your FINALLY seeing how great we are." Black Star seemed triumphant…Soul didn't like that.

"You know it was just a compliment it doesn't mean much."

_Not coming from me anyways_. Soul thought glumly.

"Well when its coming from such a cocky bastard like you…it means a lot…" Black Star stated off handedly with a simple roll of his eyes. Soul couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face. At the back of his mind, he didn't like where this was going, they provided no benefit to him. He didn't want himself to care so with his body tensed he replied to Black Star.

"Yeah well…it was a one time thing you got from me." Soul lazily started shaking his head at the two. "Because if I was _really_ serious, I would still be using my blade to cut you two morons down." With that statement, it was enough to get Black Star steaming.

"Still with the snobby attitude huh? Well…let's prove to him Tsubaki, that he'll need his blade so he won't end up with his arrogant head off!" Black Star retained a determine look as he ran to fight him. Wanting this to end Soul prepared himself.

He decided that he was going to knock the guy out with one blow. So launching forward his left arm he made a move for his stomach, and like an idiot, Black Star followed his arm to block it. As he did, Soul brought up his right arm and aimed for Black Star's face. Fist inches from colliding with his temple Soul watched at Black Star's face lit up in a grin. Confusion passed Soul's features just as he felt his knuckles collide with a surface.

This surface happened not to be Black Star's face rather the surface of his blade. Soul's eyes connected with Black Star's eyes, they were wide and in them, they held this _insanity_ that made Soul smile as he approved.

"Interesting…" He muttered as he broke away from their contact. Soul relaxed his knuckles by waving them up and down gathering feeling into them as he watched slightly fascinated as Tsubaki suddenly transformed into human form and gathered up Black Star who collapsed against her. Out of breath, Soul fell backwards.

When he thought back on it the hit he had aimed for Black Star's temple probably would have been enough to kill him. He guessed that Black Star knew that as he watched the guy breathing in and out, short gasps of air as Tsubaki calmed him. Soul watched with knowing eyes as he saw flickers of shadow's dancing in the young Meister's eyes.

Even a small dose of insanity to any one would be enough to knock them off their feet…he knew much about such experience's. The three remained out of breath for a while and as they both eyed one another down…Soul realized he didn't have the urge to actually fight them anymore. They were…interesting…and for some reason looking at them; he thought that maybe in the future they could provide to be useful. They could actually benefit him now.

Red orbs were slits as he looked at the two. Before he thought, they could become a nuisance to him, nagging things at the back of his mind. Only that with the split second of insanity that was evident in Black Star's eyes. He knew that having such a guy like that around could be good for him. When he thought about it, he needed allies and the two partners seemed like uncanny acquaintances ones you don't come by everyday.

Soul watched the two as they both asked the other if they were all right. Soul held back a laugh at their relationship and saw this dependency in them. He realized by their movements and actions to one another that they relied on each other to an extent that it could be dangerous if they were came upon by someone who would use such disadvantages. For a split second, he wondered how they got that way but it didn't matter how what did is that they just _were_. A wistful smile came to him.

It would be unfortunate if someone with ill intentions came across their bond. Now if someone like him did… An unnaturally large smile erupted upon his face in a way that made the maniacal sun above them envy. Many thoughts came to Soul and deciding if any of them were to actually work. He had to get them to trust him first and that only needed a little bit of acting.

Black Star and Tsubaki reverted their attention back on Soul who with downcast eyes began to talk.

"I won't do this anymore."

"Huh?" Was Black Star ingenious reply.

"Do what Soul Eater?" Tsubaki asked as she watched with careful eyes. A sharp trained intensity that Soul made note to look out for.

"Fight…I honestly give up."

"Really?" Black Star sounded confused as he blinked owlishly at him and with a sorrowful nod of his head Black Star beamed. "AH, I see that you finally have seen my greatness eh?" He started to laugh at his own explanation and the shadows that Soul saw moments before was placed with a light…one he would embarrassingly admit glowed with an intensity of a glorified sun. The guy had an enormous ego that was also another disadvantage to him. Soul made a mental note to help him improve on that.

"Um Soul Eater, may I ask why?" Tsubaki asked, Soul guessing that she didn't like Black Star explanation as much as he did.

"First…may I ask why you guys agreed to such a job? I mean capturing me that is." Soul asked an honest question and waited for their reply with a bemused look to him as they both gave one another awkward glances.

"Well…we uh…" Soul eyed the blush that came to Tsubaki's cheeks as she scratched her cheek in thought. Black Star who was looking back and forth between him and Tsubaki crossed his brows and gave out a yell for an explanation.

"Your worth a lot of money that's why!" Black Star shouted at him and with a blink of his ruby eyes, he cocked his head to the side.

"Money…" He repeated.

"Money…" Tsubaki responded, crestfallen as she looked down awkwardly while Black Star not seeing the big deal in it.

"Oh…" Soul let out giving them a perplexed look.

"Oh…?" Tsubaki asked aloud raising her head to meet eyes with him.

"Why you look so down Tsubaki?" Black Star asked as he eyed his partner giving her a quizzical look, observing her actions with careful intensity. Soul wondered that himself but waited her reply.

"He obviously ran away from home for a reason…and I know Black Star that it is our mission to bring him back but…you remember don't you?" Curious he watched as knowingness passed over Black Star's features.

"Yeah I remember…I wouldn't forget something like that Tsubaki…" He chided as he gave her a light push with his shoulder. A smile appeared on Tsubaki's pear shaped face as she nodded to Black Star.

"You know…you were supposed to be out last mission before we headed for Death City." Tsubaki informed him and his ears alert at the mention of Death City.

"And since you seem to actually be giving up and all…it wouldn't be fun to bring you back without you kicking and screaming." Black Star said nonchalant.

"So…you're free to go…" Tsubaki spoke cheerfully and Soul gaped at the two. That easy huh? _Morons_…he shook his head in disbelief.

"Really? Even though I almost killed…" He didn't finish his sentence on purpose, he just watched for their reactions. The two laughed.

"We've…been in many close death experiences, we don't bare grudges right Black Star."

"YEAH, they you know…block the mind and stuff and me and Tsubaki don't need stuff like that on our path." Soul couldn't believe these two. Glancing off to the side, he checked stage one off and immediately went for stage two.

"Death City…why there?"

"It's the capital for Meister's and Weapon's and they offer a schooling program there that Black Star and I are interested in attending."

"Attending?" He chose one word response's because judging from the star-crossed look upon their faces he held back the urge to roll his eyes.

"The work of mercenaries is very dangerous business…with what Shibusen is offering partners like us it's the most obvious thing for us to go to." Tsubaki informed him.

"Really…Death City…uhh Shibusen sounds like a nice place." He offered.

"It is…" They both replied dreamily. "We heard about it when we first came to the U.S but we didn't have enough money to travel there so along the way we got jobs as mercenaries and well…we were going to plan on having you as our last case but…" The two laughed again.

"Yeah…" Soul offered a little chuckle himself. "Uh no hard feelings…you guys seem like real _pleasant_ people." Soul felt like gagging. Black Star waved his hands around and leaned forward from supporting himself on Tsubaki.

"No problem you provided me a workout." Black Star proceeded to stretch as he stood up. Soul and Tsubaki followed right after him. As Soul dusted himself off, he looked around for his backpack only for Tsubaki to suddenly offer it to him. Slowly he took it from her with a thank you reminding himself to be polite.

"Thanks…I should be heading off now…" Soul stated aloud slowly letting it sink in for them. He watched as they both gave each other looks before turning their gazes on him.

"There are others looking for you." Tsubaki enlightened him and this wariness was heard in her voice, Soul held a secretive smile to himself.

"That's to be expected."

"But dude, there's like A LOT of people looking for you." Black Star tried to emphasize it by stretching out his arms.

"Black Star!" Tsubaki berated and Black Star gave her a blunt look.

"Heh, you know…I knew what I was getting myself into when I abandoned my family…I'm fully prepared for the consequences…" He informed them his voice light as he fixed his backpack on his body, adjusting to the weight.

_Bull shitter, bull shitter!_ He repeated over and over in his mind as he turned from them. For the final step to be taken he was hoping that there consciences would get the best of them. From behind him, he heard slight shuffling and in hushed voices Black Star and Tsubaki whispered to each other as he slowly departed. Now…for one final good bye.

"See ya guys around…" He gave a slight wave of his hand.

"Wait!" _Just as expected…_

A grin briefed his features as he rotated around to face the two partners. He gave them a puzzled gaze as he watched them look back and forth between each other.

"Uh where are you heading?" Black Star was the first to speak.

"To be honest, I don't really know." He gave them a shrug as they exchanged glances once again.

"Well…do you want to come to Death City with us? I mean when we took up the job we were told that we could not further our search for you in Death City. I think it was a no safety zone for your family. We were requested that if we couldn't find you but provided intelligence that you were in Death City we report back to your family. So…"

"They won't be looking for me in Death City." He stated the obvious since he already knew this…what surprised him though was that they also knew. Disconnected thoughts and jumbles of reasons formed in his mind. Not wanting to get a headache, he returned his attention back on the two. They sincerely wanted him to come with them. Judging by Tsubaki's desperate look and Black Star's embarrassed stance he finalized that Step 3 was done. Smiling he gave them a nod.

"Thanks." Tsubaki looked relieved and Black Star suddenly swung an arm around him in a friendly nature. Caught off guard he smirked at the moron.

"Heh, isn't this different? Moments before we were trying to kill each other!" Black Star let out a laugh that Soul scoffed at.

"Yeah…now don't think this means I don't view you as an idiot anymore. I still do." Smirking as Black Star gave Tsubaki a peace sign she gave out a motherly sigh.

"We should travel more before night comes…get some distance from this place." Tsubaki spoke aloud as she watched the sun that flickered through the trees above, spraying them with its rays. Soul nodded thinking it as the best idea and made a move to go forward. With new traveling companions Soul felt victorious as they began to walk the path that lead to Death City.

If the worst comes to worst…he had some associates he could use as some good body shields. A devilish smirk went unnoticed to Black Star and Tsubaki as they started up friendly chatter not noticing the scheming back of their new companion.

_**Yep, yep, Soul's a two faced jerk in here…it's gonna be fun. So yeah this chapter was hard to type up I had to revise it a couple of times…**_

**Inspirations/Music - The Hollywood Kills**.


	5. The Realization

**_Thanks so much for all the reviews. I appreciate it also; I decided to change the genre for the story to humor/drama. I realized that any romance would not come until later chapters. I need to develop the relationship first between the couples I have chosen and I cannot really just start it off with them both falling madly in love with one another. I'm not a fan of those types of stories, sure they work in small doses but that's it._**

**_Also sorry for having Maka not show up until chapter 6 and yes she's not here till the next chapter sorry. She would have come into this chapter but I figured what happens in this chapter needed to be done with before we got to her. Also there's a slight break in the chapter were I suggest you look up that band and LISTEN to that song when your reading the part, it makes it all the more creepier. YOU MUST DO IT-IT IS A DEMAND! OHOHOHO!_**

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 5**

The useless friendly chatter was really getting to him. Well he should have expected something like this I mean they were not going to be quiet the whole way to Death City. But still! His brain was going to implode on itself if he had to listen to Black Star for another second…

"So this guy right tried to start some shit with me! ME, the great Black Star! You know he got what was coming to him, the idiot probably didn't think he was going to be able to fit his head in that small ass toilet, but I managed." Black Star started to laugh aloud at his own cleverness. Soul couldn't figure what was so clever in being able to shove some guy's head in a toilet. He guessed that he would have to be there to actually get the point of the story.

"So how did he try to start up with you? Called you an idiot? A moron or something?" Soul asked looked off into the distance keeping his voice nonchalant as Black Star gave him a befuddled look.

"No…"

"Oh, called you a little shit? Annoying brat? Am I getting there?"

"No!" Black Star replied firmly his face going a little red.

"Hmm, really…let see what else, little prick, how bout a little bastard huh?" Soul knew he was going too far with the names but the past two hours for him were hell, he just was repeating aloud what he's been saying to himself…

"NO, he was being all…" Soul stopped to give the young Meister a curious glance as Black Star clenched and unclenched his fist.

_What? Did this story have some actually hidden meaning behind it? Well isn't that nice…_Soul rolled his ruby eyes.

"He what?" As the two stood still looking at one another Tsubaki stood uncomfortably off to the side, probably deciding to stay out of it.

"He was being mean to Tsubaki."

"That's it?" _Wow_….sarcastically shaking his head he started to walk forward.

"That's it? HEY, do you think defending Tsubaki's honor is pointless?" Black Star yelled putting his own idea's together and with a raised finger he started to judge him. Distastefully he looked at Black Star index finger; never liking being pointed at…it was rude manners.

_What? When did he ever say that? _He asked himself well sure he did think it was pointless but that didn't mean he was going to say it aloud. Revolving around to fully face Black Star he realized then he didn't want to start something with this guy.

"I didn't say anything like that; you're putting words in my mouth…" Shaking his head as he watched with amusement hidden behind his eyes as Black Star gave him a pouted look. _Such a child_…he thought to himself his thoughts private and mean to the blue haired boy.

"I'm telling a story and then you start calling me names and then you insult Tsubaki's honor." Black Star replied his voice holding this authoritativesound to it as if he was talking to some child. "Say sorry." Okay that was pushing it. Grimacing he frowned.

"Say sorry? Are you kidding me?" He retorted immediately as his brows knitted together in annoyance. "I didn't insult anybody's honor, maybe someone's _intelligence_ but that's it." He folded his arms in defiance as he gave Black Star a lopsided smirk.

"Well…say sorry for calling me names then!" Soul scoffed.

"No."

"Say it…"

"Nuh uh, I stick by it moron…"

"Oh that's it bitch bring it!" Black Star raised his glove fists as Soul gave a confused look.

**Did he just call me a bitch?**

"Oh no you _didn't_!" Soul stalked forward to give the guy a good thrashing over the head but instantly Tsubaki came between the two with careful hands raised as she tried to back him off from Black Star. Soul glared at her. "Move it…" He told her evenly earning a look from Black Star.

"Listen you two this isn't the place to be fighting…"

"And why not?" Soul asked.

"It's getting dark, don't you see? We should be putting up camp…besides were all friends here. Are we not Soul?" Soul watched as Tsubaki tensed his name and the two connected their eyes. For a few seconds he stared into the girl's eyes, a serene look vibrated off them that Soul gave an awkward sigh as he looked away. He never dealt much with girls…

That could be a problem for him. Rubbing his head he nodded.

"Sorry." With that he turned away as he went into the bushes. Tsubaki and Black Star slowly following him after they finished talking. It was time to make up camp.

Several minutes later they had built a small fire and situated their sleeping bags around it. Black star was busy chopping wood with his hands while Tsubaki prepared dinner, whatever it was. Soul meanwhile was looking upwards toward the sky as the sun settled away and stars began to peek up all over the place. Bringing light to the black abyss.

Watching unsettled he placed a hand over his eyes. When he was younger he used to always go out and just stare for hours up at the night. He always felt safer at night the reason being was that his mother always snuck off to see him. She would hold him and the two would talk. He missed actually talking with someone; he missed his old considerate self if he had to be honest. He missed his child self, he had no doubt if he ever meet his younger self they would both be ashamed.

A small sigh left him as a bitter thought came to him, he hated the stars. Unconsciously he glanced toward Black Star. He didn't like Black Star, the insane freak anyways. I mean, who chops wood with their hands? Freaks do that's who. Muttering to himself he shuffled forward and glanced at Tsubaki.

He didn't mind Tsubaki, she was nice was all he could think of about her but like he said before, if worst came to worst she would make for good cover. She was taller than he was and curvier and…_damnit_ shut up brain. Anyways he knew that he would push Black Star first and always Tsubaki second. Nodding as he liked the idea he wandered over to her and sat down to the left of her.

She jumped a little at him as he surprised her but with a nod of his head she went back to cooking something that resembled a stew. It smelled awfully good to him as his stomach rumbled with hunger. Didn't he just eat six hours ago? Wondering at how he lasted those two months in that cell Tsubaki pulled him from his thoughts.

"Were doing shifts for watch tonight."

"Huh?" Was his reply as he blinked at her in confusion. She hid a small giggle with her hand at his dumbstruck look he probably had. Frowning he waited for her to continue.

"You know, shifts for watch, Black Star is going to be first and me second and if you also want to…" She paused as she thought over her next words, and patiently he waited. "Take a shift?" She asked looking at him and probably watching his face to see his reaction. His lips pulled into a tight frown as he hummed out in thought.

"Tsubaki…it would be very rude of me not to accept. I don't mind taking a shift…" He let out a laugh. "You don't even have to ask, just…order me to or something." Casually shrugging he noticed the stew suddenly. "I think its burning…" He reported and she gave out a yelp in surprise as she rushed to move it away from the fire.

He figured that she was really jumpy when it came to talking with strangers, even though she reportedly called him her _friend_. He smirked in the memory. Rolling his shoulders he watched as she began to carefully separate the stew into three bowls ones that she pulled from her bag. Calling Black Star over he yelled out his coming as he bustled over with an armful of wood and plopped down across from Tsubaki.

Soul noticed how Black Star was eying him down but he ignored him as Tsubaki handed him a bowl. Cautiously telling him it was hot, he said thank you and started to eat. Letting himself admit that it was pretty good for something cooked in a few minutes.

Quietly he ate while Black Star boosted how good Tsubaki's cooking was. She would tell him that she wasn't that great and of course she was being modest and Soul found no reason for it. It continued like this for a few minutes until Black Star had finally quieted down and they all ate the rest of the meal in silence. Soul liked the saying that silence was golden it felt good to actually be able to think without that stupid guy's banter in the background, chatting it away.

Tsubaki started to clean up and Soul handed his bowl to her and again thank her for the meal he was oblivious to the blush that graced her features as his eyes followed Black Star instead. The guy's gaze was upward as he stared toward the stars and some sort of flash of recognition flashed in his eyes when he suddenly glance back at Tsubaki. He immediately offered to help her. Soul wrote off that action as weird as he thought about helping it out. Only to just watch instead as he went back to his sleeping bag.

"Well if we want this trip to move along faster…I think we should get up early so bed time!" Black Star yelled out a grin forming on his face as Soul gave him a dull look, _honestly_? He thought as he flopped backwards. He retained a indifference look as he rolled over into the comforts of his sleeping bag.

"We should take four hour shifts then…" Tsubaki stated as she watched Black Star nod back in agreement.

"I'll wake you up in four hours then." The two gave each other coaxing smiles that made Soul fold the sleeping bag up and over his head as he gagged in mock agony. "You hear that Soul?" Black Star shouted to him and with a wave of his hand Soul acknowledged him.

"Yeah, yeah I heard you guys…" Muttering he got a little bit more comfortable in the sleeping bag. Tossing and turning until he found the spot he dubbed, comfortable he let his mind shut down and he fell instantly asleep…

_Four hours later._

"You know Tsubaki we could still turn him in." Black Star spoke in a hush whisper as he and Tsubaki wandered off behind some trees, casting side-glances back at the sleeping Soul Eater. Unsettled Tsubaki shifted slightly as she gave another long gaze back at Soul.

"He honestly seems in a messed up situation Black Star…we already told him that we were going to take him back Death City with us. I just don't…like breaking promises."

"You didn't promise him anything Tsubaki." Black Star shook his head as he held up his arms behind his head letting his eyes gaze upwards again to the stars.

"I know its just that…he doesn't seem like a bad guy. I mean, I think that his lifestyle up to now was awful, his life was bad not him." Tsubaki also gazed upwards but leaned against the tree across from Black Star, the two remained silent.

A sigh escaped Black Star as he let off a tiny smile his lips turning upwards, Tsubaki radiated as she locked eyes with him. "It's a blessing that you see the good things in people, Tsubaki. God knows if you didn't well…I guess you wouldn't have ever accepted me huh?" A glaze look over came Black Star as he thought of his past. Tsubaki gave a lighthearted laugh.

"Don't think too much Black Star, your tired as it is." Even though he was tired and could probably fall over at the moment. He managed the widest grin he could give Tsubaki as she wandered over to him placing an arm out as she let him fall against her. "Come on you goof ball, we still got the whole day ahead of us, you need some sleep." Casually she went back to the camp and placed Black Star in his sleeping bad. Watching as he curled up into a ball, she smiled.

Odd habits died hard. She guessed as she watched Black Star immediately fall asleep. He was always a quick sleeper.

**Versaemerge** (The Reification of Notion-The realization)

"_That's good, again please." The instructor promptly tapped the seat to which he sat on and again he played the melody for him, of course to perfection. Effortlessly his hands flew across the keys in fluid motion; with long fingers reaching the piano keys with graceful ease, he played the song to excellence._

_His instructor an obese old man with stuffy cologne that smelled of rotten apples and old wine would also give him the tiniest of smiles. The man was a man of music and he appreciated anyone who could play a tune as he just did so naturally. Finishing the last piece of the harmony, he opened his eyes and stared toward the sheet of music awaiting further instructions._

_Soul was always one to only do things with only a simple order. He was never one to do something without being told to. So as he stayed rooted in place to his seat he suddenly heard the unsteady breathing of his teacher. It catching him off guard slightly but staying seated, he did. Keeping his breathing regular and quiet, as his teachers own breathing started to get very loud and irregular with each passing moment._

_He was baffled but every muscle in his body stayed ridged as he trained his body so that even the slightest of noise wouldn't scare him, he would never flinch. Only that his curiosity was making him slightly anxious. However, quiet and still he remained even though he knew someone was with them in the room. He noticed it when several seconds ago he heard a slight ruffle of clothes, silk and of the finest quantity was being stroked against old cotton wear, his teacher's clothes._

_Knowing that his instructor wasn't one to go calibrating in silk attire he made the careful deduction that someone was in the room. That someone of higher standing than him and his instructor put together was in the room. Sweat beaded off his brow when suddenly the large man behind him, his instructor collapsed to the floor._

_He didn't jump, he didn't move at all. The only indication of his nervousness was the bead of sweat protruding off his temple. The rest of him was calm yet stiff, his eyes half lidded and his lips a thin line as the intruder took a seat right next to him. By not even staring toward the person sitting beside him, he used his peripherals and saw the intruder._

_He flinched._

"_Soul…what a beautiful melody you were playing a few moments ago what was it?"_

_Don't touch me. He wanted to whisper._

"_Hmm?" She hummed._

_He repeated the title of the music sheet as the woman wrapped a long arm around his shoulders staring down at the piano's keys in slight glee._

_Don't touch me. He wanted to say._

"_Ah, wonderful but a little cherry don't you think?"_

_Don't touch me. He wanted to scream._

"_Yes." Was he one worded reply._

"_How bout something more, __melancholy__?" She offered yet it was taken as a command, he knew the song she loved. His hands played and several minutes later as the song came to an end she purred into his ear. "Again, please?" It wasn't a request it was an order, once more he played, and repeatedly over and over he played as a pool of blood reached his leather black shoes._

"_Your wonderful Soul…"_

_Don't touch me. He wanted to beg._

"_Again…"_

Eyes wide in terror as tremors coated his body. He stared into a dying fire as he tried to calm his breathing. A nightmare, he thought as he struggled to calm himself but his nerves made him shake and shake. He let out a tiny gasp as he rolled over onto his back.

Whenever he awoke from a nightmare of the past, he would just lie in bed, calm himself, and hope that the feeling that the nightmare brought up in him would disappear. Of course, it never did and he would be left lying awake in bed or wherever he might've been sleeping, hoping that the memory would go away.

It always left him feeling weak and powerless. He was never one to over react, he would never force himself from a dream nor would he be one to wake up screaming. He remained as quiet as possible and insignificant that no one would notice. No one ever did because no one was ever with him when he would fall asleep. No one was there to wake him when they noticed him squirming. No one.

Only this time someone was.

"Soul…?" Soul wasn't prepared to hear his name so suddenly that he actually jumped. He guessed that he let some of his old habits go. He honestly thought he didn't need them in that cell. Then again, he was now on the outside. "Soul…?" The voice repeated. An undercurrent of worry was heard in the voice and he glanced to the source coming face to face with Tsubaki suddenly.

"My shift right?" Not liking the look that she was giving him, she shyly looked away from him. He watched as she sat back down a little farther back than she was before as she played with her hands.

"Are you okay, I…?"

"Four hours right?" He wanted to get away from what she was trying to talk about but she gave him this concern look that made him shut up for a few seconds forgetting about his lame attempt to change the conversation else where.

"You seemed to be having a nightmare. You were shifting a lot and…" She paused as she let her eyes connect with his. She waited for his reply and Soul not wanting such a confrontation he cast his gaze toward the last embers of the fire.

"I was…" He told her the truth of course he wouldn't tell her what he was dreaming about but he figured that maybe just telling her he did would be enough to satisfy her. But then again she was of a different species and leaving it at that was obviously not good enough for her.

"About what?"

"Stuff, you know the whole waking up naked in school sort of deal." He forced a laugh.

He never went to any type of school in his lifetime.

"Uhh…" He noticed the slight tinge to her cheeks as she glanced back and forth to him. Smirking he decided to go with this as a strategy formed in his mind.

"Oh, uh sorry I bet you don't want to picture me naked huh?" He winked at her and she blossomed a crimson red. He wanted to laugh at her; she did well to make him forget about the nightmare.

"I, no…" She shook her head furiously at him.

"Awh really that hurts my feelings." He gave her a dejected look that immediately made her go stock white.

"I didn't mean to be offensive!" She waved her hands in her face, a thing that Black Star would do.

"OH so you do wanna see me naked?"

"NO, I uhh, I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable!" She proclaimed aloud like suddenly this was her fault when really it was the other way around. He gave her a devilish smirk.

"I'm kidding around Tsubaki." He laughed. "It seems like you can't take a joke huh?" Fascinated he watched her blush again. "Well there's one bad quality for ya!" He slapped his knee as he pulled himself from the inside of his blanket.

"Bad quality?" She repeated.

"Yeah well I know I got a whole bunch so does Black Star…but when I think bout you I can't think of one thing…until now of course." Smiling he stood up. "Huh, maybe it's a girl thing huh?" He asked as he folded up his sleeping bad, not wanting to go back to bed anyways.

"Bad quality? You mean what Black Star being stupid or something?" Soul didn't hear maybe that's why he didn't know what was coming when he nodded and if he did know, he would have never started that rant…

"Yeah, he's a jack ass alright, stupid moron anyways…I mean how do you put up with him huh? He's always talking and saying really dumb ass shit. The guy's annoying. It's a miracle that your still with the guy." Completely indifferent he smirked at Tsubaki suddenly noticing the intense aura rapidly surrounding her. Right there he regretted saying anything to her.

"Black Star is not a jack ass, moron, dumb ass or any of those things!" The swear words that came from her seemed foreign to him and odd as it was he never felt so regretful about saying such vulgar words. Confused she continued to berate him.

"He wanted to take you back you know but I…I convinced him that you were a good kid. You just had it rough…but if you act like this if, you keep on insulting Black Star like that. I swear to you right now Soul Eater that I will take you back in a jar the size of my fist." Her eyes were ablaze with anger as she glared him down and as scared as he was he managed to gulp.

As they both stared at one another Tsubaki suddenly reverted back to her old self and a crimson blush came to her cheeks as she clasped a hand over her mouth.

"I'm so sorry!" She apologized and completely confused he awkwardly shuffled away from her. "Oh I'm really sorry I…" Soul looked sideways at her and gave a gulp.

"I took it too far, I should have…uh not said such things, I'm s-sorry" Soul awkwardly patted at his hair trying to stare into the fire's embers.

"Thank you…" Tsubaki muttered folding her knees to his chest. Cautiously looking at her, he knew that if he left it like this it was always going to be like this and right now he realized that he wasn't doing a good job at trying to be friends with the two. He insulted Black Star and thus insulted Tsubaki. He knew that much and if he left it at this no doubt Black Star would pick up on it and it could result in him getting mad and maybe sending him back to his family.

He didn't want to go back, he needed these two. Determined now he glanced at the gloomy Tsubaki also staring toward the fire and he gave an exhale noisily that caught her attention.

"Look Tsubaki…I'm just so edgy and every little thing sets me off. I'm truly sorry but I know you two are really good people. Heck you put up with me for this long."

Tsubaki gave a light laugh. "We only met you yesterday." She murmured a small smile gracing her face. Soul shuffled out of his sleeping bag a little more.

"The things I said about Black Star were really wrong and…I know he isn't dumb." He finished lamely hoping it was enough and with a shake of her head, Tsubaki stared into his eyes.

"I know some times; Black Star can be an idiot I'm not saying he doesn't act like one. He does." Soul gave her a curious look as she continued. "But, because he acts like an idiot doesn't mean he's stupid. He is a great strategic and when it comes to fighting, he puts all his heart into it. He may be loud and too energetic but that's just his nature." Blinking owlishly at her he watched as Tsubaki turned her gaze toward the snoring Black Star.

"Black Star is Black Star, and I accept him because he accepts me."

"That's admirable Tsubaki you seem like the tolerant type." In his case yes she was. Soul murmured his voice light.

"So just…promise me, that you'll be more understanding towards Black Star."

Promise, he thought. Promises. He never made a promise before and he doubted he ever would want to. However, he would have to if he wanted her to not be angry with him so with a forced smile his eyes were bright as he nodded.

"I promise." He figured that he was already bullshitting her, so why not some more?

**THAT WAS WEIRD...I went to check up on my chapter to notice some parts of it were cut out! SO I had to recopy and paste back the cut out part and then switch the chapter with...uh yeah. It's all fixed now hope no one got confused, I sure did.**


	6. Beginning

_**It has been a long time eh? Any who enjoy the chapter and just some minor notes on the last chapter for anyone who likes to read.**_

_**Soul and Tsubaki are not a pairing in here. Soul's a guy and he notice's things, hell I would notice someone like Tsubaki and I'm a girl. Soul has hormones but you know he can handle them. Also thank god this is AU because if it wasn't, it would seem I royally screwed up some of the characters but you know it is AU. That should settle some things, anyways enjoy! Three cheers for Maka!**_

_**A-AAAAA-UUUU-UUUU!**_

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 6**

Eyes scanning the crowd she effortlessly walked along the many people heading up the current she thought in her mind, as she approached the taller girl with her strawberry hair cascading down her shoulders. Coughing she tapped the girl and offered a meek smile as the girl's face immediately went bright in recognition as she wrapped her arms around her.

"Oh my god you made it!" She started out as she held her in a tight embrace.

"It was hard trying to get away but I managed." She laughed and the girl joined her. "Where's Patty?" The older sibling of Patty, Liz Thompson face went into a thoughtful look as she did a full 360 before her.

"I honestly don't know…jeez that girl always running away on me." Liz proclaimed as she tilted her head to the side and shook her head.

"Well she's probably around here somewhere with Kid." She offered.

"Uh-oh that's not a good thing she's probably driving Kid insane." She couldn't help but agree as she also looked around for the other sister.

"Maka." Recognizing the voice, she turned to the source and smiled brightly toward the new comer. He in return offered a small smile as he stepped before the two girls.

"Oi, Kid there you are." Liz clasped a hand on Kid's shoulder as she gave him a small push backwards. "I'm guessing you're not with Patty…" Confusion etched into Liz's features as she glanced once again around for the girl.

"She's trying on some clothes actually." And with a careful shrug of his shoulder he pointed toward a stand that lead into an arrangement of cloth's overhanging one another forming what resembled a stall. Liz shrank down a little as she muttered something underneath her breath.

"Be right back." She announced as she went off toward the stand and disappeared behind the curtains. A little shriek of alarm could be heard but quickly was replaced with loud laughter. Smiling at the two, Maka turned her attention back towards Kid who was smoothing down his shirt.

Smirking at Kid's gestures of making himself look orderly Maka swooped from behind him and gave him a good shove forward toward a stall of various fruit.

"Buy me something?" She asked holding back a giggle as Kid's face became serious. Always the gentlemen, she thought as he pulled out a wallet.

"Of course what do you want?" Her face twisted to stiffness.

"I was joking!" She started as she pulled him away from the vendor, grasping onto his arm and she stalked away.

"Hey, Maka you know I'm just going to buy you something in the end right?" Maka and him stopped in front of the stand that Liz and Patty seemed to be in.

"About that, I bought extra money for myself so you don't need to worry about me or nothing!" She stated aloud as she crossed her arms. She hated when he would baby her…

"Maka it would be rude if I didn't buy you something. The whole purpose of going to the market was to buy something new for you. You know because…" Not wanting him to finish that statement, she quickly interrupted him.

"I know…I know…" She waved a hand to him as she covered her face and proceeded to smooth back her bangs. Kid watched with a look of slight interest but she knew that his whole mind was set on her. She gave an inaudible sigh as she forced her nerves down.

"Look Maka I'm not trying to place pressure on you, I'm not but you know what tomorrow is." Kid gave her a concern look as she stared toward her feet, her shoelace suddenly becoming the most interesting thing in the world.

"They expect me to pick one, I can't Kid."

"Why not?" At his sincere question, she flinched.

"Because I know that I'm not ready." At her answer, Kid gave a mild chuckle and when he did Maka's head immediately shot upwards and she glared at him accusingly.

"Don't be like that I'm not laughing at your feelings or thoughts or anything for those matters." Maka thought that was what he was laughing at but she guessed wrong. "I'm laughing because of how silly it sounds."

"OH, that's so much better."

"What I mean is that Maka your ready, you're insanely ready for this!" Kid beamed. "I just don't think anyone will be ready for _you_." Maka raised a blond eyebrow.

"Meaning?" She asked clueless.

"I know how you fight Maka and what you need…" Kid found that he needed to demonstrate. "Is a scythe weapon." He made a swift movement forward casting down his arm. At his antics, Maka managed a smirk but her eyes remained sad.

"Too bad Papa is the only scythe weapon around and well…he is already taken." Maka raised her hands and made quotations in the air. Kid offered her a smile but he also knew the same thing. It was past him why he mentioned it.

"Well maybe you can find someone that has a range of scythe weapon abilities. Don't get your hopes down." Kid encouraged but Maka still held that sad smile. They were both bought out of their conversation when both Liz and Patty emerged from the stall wearing very glamorous yet crazy looking clothes.

"Ta!" Liz started.

"DA!" Patty finished as they both brought out their arms and waved at both Maka and Kid. Maka applauded and Kid…well his mouth was agape.

"NO, NO, NO! It is not symmetrical!" Maka rolled her celery green eyes at Kid as he approached the two to tell them what was wrong with their clothes. Kid and Liz started to fight but in a friendly nature while Patty started to dance in the background. Maka appreciated their relationship. It was one that she would strive to have someday. That is if she ever got a partner.

Dazed she glanced around her and watched, as people would pass her by trying to take a peek at her. Why, because of whom she was. Who her father is and for that matter, whom her mother _was_. Nervousness began in her as she closed her eyes tight trying to see herself alone in the mass of people that passed her by. Maka the death scythe's daughter and the technician mother. Her mother and father's bonding together was a strange one. People wondered to what type of person she would become, a technician or a weapon.

In the end, she became a human technician. She didn't mind she made sure that she would follow in her mother's footsteps, no matter how big anyways.

Through the bubble, she had placed her being in, someone's words had managed to piece through the personal bubble and curious words reached her ears.

"It's that princess right?"

"Yep, I heard she finally starts with Shibusen tomorrow. Wonder who she'll pick as a partner?" The words were so curious.

"Probably someone really strong her capabilities must be extraordinary. Too bad, there's no type of scythe weapons left strolling about. Heard her father's the last one." The other voice replied aloud sounding awfully smug with themselves.

"Why would that matter?"

"Duh, her family only has scythe weapon abilities." As the two voices stalked off Maka's bubble burst as she sucked in the information.

They were right; she did only have the capabilities for scythe weapon type of work. She sucked at handling swords finding that the handles were too short, she wasn't good at holding guns either because all the times she practiced with Liz and Patty she would place too much of her soul length into them resulting in a back fire and she would fall off her feet.

Her body only handled lightweight type of weapons seeing how she moved easier and her agility was more capable with lightweight weapons. Only there weren't much around. The families in Death City were more heavy weight weapons with many families involving the sword and most students attending Shibusen already had partners from having parents who also were partners arrange things for their children.

Maka did not. Of course, she was overreacting slightly. Lots of weapons and technician's were coming to Shibusen and some of them weren't already paired up…but still she had her mind set on having a scythe weapon. She guessed she was just too stubborn and looking at all the wrong factors. Maybe she could be good with a claymore or…face faulting she gave a small sigh.

She guessed Kid was right…she shouldn't have her hopes down but...there was still overwhelming pressure for her to pick someone. Death City's politics became a factor in young Meister's choosing partners. Some chose partners to gain something in the union honestly it was like getting married for some people.

For her though, it was showcasing talent. I mean she was the death scythe's daughter, the princess. Now where the heck did that nickname come from anyway? She tried to recall. When she did, her cheeks turned a tinge of pink.

"What ever…" She murmured.

"What you thinking so hard about Maka?" Patty came into her view as she promptly started to stare at her eyes unblinking. Maka gave an awkward laugh.

"Nothing Patty um, love the dress by the way."

"I know huh? It's really…frilly!" She exclaimed running her hands up and down the material. Maka nodded as Patty went back toward Liz and Kid who were still arguing. She huffed.

She had met Liz and Patty about several months back. The two had come to live with Kid and had become his choice of weapons. Of course, Kid could have any type of weapon to his choosing. He could mold his own weapons, build them all by himself if he ever wanted to but in the end, he had chosen Liz and Patty.

How he came across the two was a mystery to Maka even though both her and Kid told each other everything. However, she decided that it was maybe best just to leave it at that. Some times, they couldn't tell each other everything.

Checking her wristwatch, she approached Liz and Kid with the purpose of trying to get the two to stop yelling, they were attracting unwanted attention.

"Guys…" No answer. "Guys!" She placed more force into it. "GUYS!" She screamed.

"WHAT?!" Completely stiff, she shook her head.

"Can we just…buy something and leave?" Innocently she gave them googaly eyes and they immediately nodded in agreement.

"As long as I get to see you in something cute." Liz yelled over her back as she went back to change.

"As long as it's expensive." Kid smiled as he approached her with a glint in his eye.

"What did I say…?"

* * *

"_Papa…Papa…DAD!"_

"_OH, what is it baby?" Her skirt-chasing father asked as he pulled her upwards into a hug._

"_How long do we have to stay here?" As he situated her more against his hip, he did a full circle around himself earning a slight giggle from her as he stared down at his watch._

"Ah a few more minutes' sweetie pie why don't you go play for a bit, Papa has some business to attend to." By business, he meant talk to those three women eyeing him in the corner…Maka if only five could already see a habit happening in her father.

He liked older woman a lot especially older woman who happened to look like the three in the corner with their powder faces and bright red lipstick. Maka nodded and strolled off into a different direction trying to pay them no mind. Swinging her arms back and forth, she knew that her and her father could go home right now if she wanted to but like always if he saw some older ladies he would immediately make some sort of excuse to stay longer.

Stay longer where though? At Shibusen, the place where her father worked and worked at she did not know. However, he came here everyday and sometimes if she didn't have preschool, he would take her along with him. He would do whatever while Maka preoccupied her mind with looking at things and seeing the big kids walk around.

The big kids fascinated her.

So much that when she saw a couple of them go into a very large looking room, she followed. What she happened on was a bright blue place with clouds floating about and above her there was a large red frame that over hanged with a sharp blade suspended between the two pillars. Completely cautious she glanced forward and toward the tall frames slightly edgy. Afraid that if she walked forward the blade would come down upon her head.

She only watched as the older kids nonchalantly walked forward as if not affected by what over hanged above them. Holding back a whimper, she steadied her little self and began to walk forward with her head held high, only to jump in fright when someone clasped a hand over her shoulder.

"Eep!" She pulled away and spun around to confront the person to see a boy maybe around her age staring at her intently.

"Hello."

"Um, hi?" She murmured laughing slightly as she straightened herself before him as she studied the new comer. He had black hair with three white strips going across his head on the side. With bright yellow eyes, he stared long and hard at her and she couldn't help but fidget.

"What are you doing here?" He murmured sounding slightly curious.

"I just…I don't know?" She offered lamely suddenly forgetting why she was where she was.

"Well, you should go then." He came behind her and started to usher her out of the room. Completely sidetracked as she was carted away he stopped pushing her once she was out of the room and he closed the large oak doors behind him.

"Wait, why can't I go in there?" She responded aloud wondering why he started shoving her out of the room.

"It's for big kids." He replied stiffly as he stood before her wearing black shorts and a black vest that fitted over a white undershirt. She raised a lone eyebrow while she twisted her face in confusion.

"I'm a big kid." The words foreign to her young self, she was never a big kid to Papa, she was always…baby, or child, or sweetie. She never was called a big girl so she felt slightly embarrassed, as she didn't know if she was.

"No, you're little…like me." Was all he said to her as he started to walk away from her. Puzzled she looked from his back to hers and noticed that yes he was only a little bit taller than she was. A small smile came to her.

"Wait!" She called out as he paused to glance back at her. He looked completely bored she noticed and putting her and him together, they were both bored looking.

"Yes?" He called back his little hands in his front pockets.

"_My name is Maka."_

* * *

"You got to try this one on Maka; it'll make you look really sexy!" Liz screamed aloud earning a dissatisfying gaze from Maka as she look dissatisfied at the skimpy dress she was parading in front of her.

"No."

"Maka what about this one?" Patty flaunted a very showy white dress, hell it was see threw!

"No!" She repeated firmly as she turned sideways only to look in horror toward Kid. What he was holding looked so…so…

"Expensive looking isn't it?" He asked and all she could do was nod her head dumbly. Completely and utterly embarrassed at what Kid was trying to get for her she tried to form words but nothing could come out.

"Whoa…" Liz started as she stopped by her side and gave out a whistle.

"It's a good thing Kid can afford something like that!" Murmured an awed Patty.

"So how about it? I bet you'll get…uh some attention for the ceremony." Kid proclaimed aloud while he waltz toward them with the expensive looking dress. Maka stared at the dress in quiet horror, of course, it was pretty, _it_ was beautiful. However, was that gold lining the ends?

"I thought this was a traveling market, where'd you get something like that?" Maka muttered finally while Kid was putting the dress to her body and staring at her, probably trying to picture her in it. She gave a casual roll of her green orbs as she pulled away.

"It is perfectly symmetrical Maka! It'll look lovely on you!" Kid's bright tawny eyes shone with a brilliance comparable to the stars but Maka only looked away in embarrassment.

"You guys, Kid…I really do appreciate this but if I go to my first day at Shibusen wearing…that…" Her eyes glanced over to the beautiful honey colored dress. "I'll scare people off! People already think that I'm some sort of princess!" She exclaimed in rush embarrassment her eyes landing on Kid who looked away with a slight blush on his pale face.

"Maka don't worry you'll fit in just fine at Shibusen." Liz said to her breezily placing a lazy arm across her thin shoulders. "Beside's were just trying to help but if we…" Liz paused to give Kid a look that made him stiffen in slight embarrassment. "Knew…that you just wanted you know something casual. Will get you something casual right sis?" Liz nudged the younger Thompson who gave a loud laugh in agreement.

"Thanks guys, I mean it's just school right? I'm not going to some big party or something…" The two other girls nodded their heads only for Kid to cry out and interrupt.

"But Maka, this dress would be stunning on you! In addition, because it is your first day at school you need to make an impression on the other students. To make you stand out above the rest!" A faraway look encased her Kid's eyes and Maka scoffed.

"Kid do you honestly want me to get special treatment or something? That's what everyone is going to do when they see me walking in with that on!" Pointing toward the dress, she made motions for Kid to place the dress back from wherever he had gotten it. Only to get a dejected look from him as he slowly back away his shoulders drooping

"Expensive…" He whined. She shook her finger at him while he disappeared with the outfit. Once he was out of site, the three girls burst out laughing, echoing in the street as they became hysterical in amusement. A few minutes later, they had calmed down and wiping away tears Maka leaned against a stack of clothes and with flushed cheeks gave the sisters a grin.

"You know…they would just shun me more if I came to the ceremony like that." The prospect of which was enough to bring down her mood. A wistful sigh came to Liz as she approached her.

"Hey Maka, you'll do fine. I mean it's just school." Liz knew of the large brain that Maka hid under that pretty head of hers and did not see the reason for her to be scared. "Don't worry and…about the other kids I think your find someone real nice and who'll not care if you're the death scythe's daughter."

"Yeah there's bound to be some one cool you'll meet." Patty offered while giving her a friendly push the small gesture bringing a smile to her.

"Your right, I am worrying way too much." She finalized with great esteem she tightened a fist. They both shook their heads with her. "Heh, you know that dress was really expensive." Wanting to change topics, she went back to what they were laughing about before. "I don't know why Kid's insisting on buying me something so costly." She muttered and with a scoff flipped back a braid of her blond hair. A soft look came over Liz's face as she mentioned it.

"You know, Kid's really worried about you going to school, extremely worried." Liz announced matter of factly.

"Yep, yep Maka! You should see him at home, he's always fussing about you, ya know?"

"Really? Well that's Kid for you." Dazed she folded her hands in her lap in a fond like gesture as she thought about him.

"AND, because he's so worried about you he wants to do something for you and…I think the only way he thinks he can do something for you, is by buying you something for you, something expensive because you know Kid." Liz nodded at her statement with a thoughtfully look to her as she placed a hand under her chin.

"Well he shouldn't do stuff like that for me. I think a good enough reassurance from him would suffice." Smiling she jumped upwards and did a cycle around and with hands behind her back she bent forward. "Like what you guys just did now, so thanks. I appreciate it."

"No prob, Maka, anything for a friend, eh Patty?"

"Totally." Thumbs up the two sisters became silent.

"So…" Maka started.

"That's still sweet of Kid." Patty replied thoughtfully.

"I know right?" The three started to gush about Kid in a girly matter until a familiar voice stopped them.

"What the heck are you guy's screaming about?" Kid asked holding something black in his arms. The three turned to him and with a sweat drop, the three encircled him and proceeded to gush around him. "Not symmetrical, not symmetrical!" He cried in vain before whatever he held dropped to the ground. In curiosity Maka bent down to pick up the dropped item to notice a cotton feel to it. It was a piece of clothing.

Unraveling it to look at the piece of clothing, she became in awe with bright stars in her eyes.

"Oh Kid, this is great!" Maka said in a rush as she went over to give him a hug.

"Uh…yeah, yeah…" Kid muttered dazed…so much screaming was his thoughts.

"What is it?" Patty asked curious. With a smile, Maka unfolded the material and swinging it around her she place her arms through the armholes and adjusting everything and buttoning up the top, she gave a little curtsy to them while wearing the black tailed coat.

"Lovely isn't it?" Maka murmured loving the way it felt. "How does it look?" She asked and with glances from one another they, the two Thompson sister's, raised their hands and gave her a thumbs up. Maka cheered.

**Surprise, surprise Kid and Maka already know each other. More on their relationship in later chapters so don't worry! The next chapter should be up by tomorrow, lol. Also forgive the mistakes!**

**Also I noticed something about my favorite pairing. Soul and Maka if shorten can be S&M right? LOL, I love that!**


	7. Weakness

**Ta dah! Next chapter out the next day like I promised…wait yeah I think it's the next day…any who thank you for all the hits, I'm glad someone's reading! Hope you enjoy and it's a little longer. I plan to slowly make each chapter longer than the other, so that I can some how managed to get everything in here, lol.**

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 7**

Over the next few days, the three traveled to Death City. Whenever there was a presence of other travelers, they would hide in the brush and keep quiet, as they would wait for them to pass. At sunset when it became night, the three would take shifts to keep watch. Whenever night came…Soul could not sleep more than a few minutes without being jolted awake by fear, it was becoming silly.

Also during the three days, Soul had managed to somehow in his own little way get Black Star's forgiveness. Since then he managed to keep his cool around him and in return, Black Star was a little more cautious when it came to choosing a choice of topics and because of that Soul was satisfied. The new stories that Black Star told of were more interesting then what he was blabbering about days before. Now he talked about an assortments of missions he and Tsubaki had taken.

Some very interesting for they provided information of the outside world, how? Well Soul made sure to ask questions and whenever he did, Tsubaki would happily comply with them. The questions he asked involving of the states they went in search of whatever prey that they had signed up for which dealt with a contract. More intriguing information that involved someone with the duty of a mercenary.

Although he was more interested in the other states surrounding the one he had been living in all his mortal life. Even though his family had provided him with the outmost knowledge of the foreign world he would never happened upon the state of which the country he lived in was like. Hell, it was more foreign to him then Japan or Europe. Of course he never questioned this before to any of his teachers for they would either scold him or worst, tell on him.

But right now Tsubaki just smiled with patience at his inquiry. Something he was shy to say, wasn't used to.

"Hey, guess what Soul!" Black Star called backwards to him pulling him from his musings.

"What?" He asked slightly lethargic, he blamed his sleep patterns.

"Death City should just be a head!" Soul frowned; all he could see was a bleak, dry desert surround them on either sides.

"Seriously? Looks like were in the middle of no where." They happened to be walking in the Mojave Desert like he mused, a bleak, dry place with mountains off in the distance and sparse trees here and there called Joshua trees. He left behind the green forestry well over yesterday and with that thought a sigh escaped him.

"Hmpth, you'll see it soon…" Was all Black Star would say back to him as he continued walking while he paused to give Tsubaki an exasperated look. She only shrugged her shoulders as they ventured on. Not liking how hot it was he proceeded to fan himself. He wasn't use to something like this; actually he wasn't use to most of anything for that matter. Shaking his head he caught up with the two.

Much or less they continued with the walk in silence. The two partners probably satisfied with the quietness but Soul hated it. He wanted someone to talk for some reason. For what motivation he hadn't a clue maybe because if someone didn't talk he would start thinking and that would result in him being in a sour mood and he knew that they didn't like it when he was. As he thought up reasons for someone to talk he realized after a few more minutes of silence that he was lying to himself.

He liked it when people talk and the reason why was very simple that he felt slightly annoyed that he spent wasted minutes on trying not to come to such a conclusion. He was in a silent appreciation of the two airheads. The basis for such a conclusion was easy, because he never had someone talk to him in such a nice matter and for such an extended period of time too.

Frowning at such a notion he realized that this whole time he wasn't repaying such matter's to the two well not that they knew of at least. He questioned if they were growing on him.

He frowned. _See this is what happens when no one talks, I start thinking like this._ In his impenitentness' he kicked the gravel below him in anger and with it he brought up a cloud of dust. Which he proceeded to cough in as he fan it away.

"Soul!" A female voice called, he recognizing it as Tsubaki.

"Yeah?" He coughed out.

"Were here!" She sang back to him in a singsong tune.

"Really?" He questioned as he walked forward to join the two who were standing over a ridge. He joined them and to only gape in awe at the sight before him. A few miles a head of him he saw a large City one he wonder why he hadn't caught glimpse of before they made it to the ridge.

What stood before him was a glorious city with house's it appeared to him stacked upon houses. Leading upwards toward the top of the city where large pillars spread out at the very top holding what seemed to be a large castle at the very peak and three circular black blobs floated in the middle of the three large points of the castle. Also decorated sparingly over the large city was the symbolic face of death, the mask of the grim reaper himself.

Chills overcame him as he looked at the skull motif as he could not believe he was at Death City. His eyes followed a road leading toward the large city and he gave a involuntary shudder, he was actually doing this.

"Come on, Death City awaits!"

* * *

Maka walked away from Shibusen with a slow trudge down the stairs that lead up to Shibusen she was behind all the other students and happened to be the only one on the street. She gave out a weak sigh that made her throat shake. She prayed she didn't cry. Scoffing at such a urge she straighten her once drooping form and stalked off the grounds of Shibusen leaving the street and heading off to her favorite café.

They had really good green tea there and she knew that she needed some sort of sustenance to calm her nerves of her first day. One she mused was a complete failure and utter disappointed. Reason's why could be seen with the looks from the customers who stared at her with curious eyes. Entering the café she gave a weak smile to the owner, a nice old man who didn't look at her with curious eyes but at the moment now looked at her with concern.

"Maka dear why so gloom and doom?" He chuckled as he placed the cloth in his hand over his shoulders. Giving a weak laugh in return she shrugged her petite shoulders.

"First day of school." She murmured sadly to him still keeping up with the ever so fake smile of hers. The old man, named Mister Herald gave her a sympathetic look while he turned from her.

"Well I know what'll fix something like that…" He murmured over his shoulder. Maka gave him a curious look. If he could actually give her something to fix what happened at school today she would be eternally grateful but to no avail he only came back around with a cup of hot green tea. Place upon a china plate decorated in floral design of old 18th century ensemble.

Either way she was still grateful.

"You know…I had a feeling that you would be coming around so I made a fresh pot of tea just a few minutes ago. On the house dear." He smiled kindly to her pushing the tea across the counter. She took it with ease and held it in her hands letting the warmth reach her fingers and palms, even though the day was warm at best. She sighed and with a gust of breath she whispered a thank you as he left to take care of other customers.

Sitting on one of the high stools she slouched over the counter a fair bit and let the aroma of leaves of camellia sinensis overcome her. The tea itself was such a relaxing beverage to her that she didn't doubt one bit that the refreshment was good for her heart, it sure did mellow it. Taking careful sips of the brew she did not notice the presence of someone sitting down beside her. Rather she ignored it.

Eyes glazed as she thought of what happened to her at Shibusen she gave out a tired exhale and noticed that someone happened to be poking her shoulder. An annoyed look encompassed her features as she turned to tell the person to stay out of her bubble only to meet eyes with tawny yellow. Eyes she looked into for over countless years.

"Kid…" She murmured and he gave a wave in hello.

"Maka, I knew you'd be here." He replied as he situated himself more firmly on the stool to the right of her as she propped herself upwards onto her elbows.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Your father sent me to look for you." He told her matter of factly, she gave a tense frown.

"Why would Papa send you looking for me, I just got out of school." She muttered annoyed.

"Uh, no not really it's five o'clock Maka." Maka stiffened slightly but not enough for Kid to notice. Did she really take that long to leave from school? She wondered but paid it no mind as she sipped the organic sustenance.

"Really? Didn't had a clue." She shrugged and in actuality she was telling the truth. Kid nodded as he ordered something for himself. Kid was more of a coffee person had got something that had too many names in it. She liked green tea, it was simple and good for you, coffee was not.

In the end she shrugged guessing that because of Kid's…immortality she presumed he was far too oblivious of coffee's effects on his body. Still she didn't know why he liked the taste.

"I'm guessing your first day wasn't all too great was it?" He questioned her and she rolled her shoulders a frown upon her face. He laughed and in spite of her mood she retorted back fiercely.

"You think it's funny?" She hissed, tilting her cup slightly she immediately caught it before it spilled over. As she waited for him to reply he held back a few more of his chuckles before he answered her.

"No, it's just I don't see why your so bummed." He replied nonchalantly not even looking at her while he talked. Maka got a little curious for his indifferent attitude toward all this she turned toward him.

"Well you weren't there!" She jabbed and she took notice of his slight flinch. She grimaced before turning back toward her tea and taking a sip.

"That's why you should tell me…" Placing down her cup she realized the reason for his casual manner, he just wanted to coax her into telling him. Of course before all this she had no intention of telling anyone about her day but remembering his slight cringe she contemplated telling him.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Was her response as she folded her arms over the counter. That was always her response to whatever was bothering her when she was mad. Kid knew of her habits and he knew how to get her to talk. Over the years she picked up such things and would always silently thank him for it, but now even though she knew she may have well hurt his feelings. She did not want to talk about her day.

It left a dreadful feeling in the pit of her stomach; it made her recoil back in memory of what happen to her. It made her hate how people treated her. Everyone was fake. Finishing the rest of her green tea she made a move to leave only for Kid to place a hand over her arm and held it there. It was a shift, that required her eyes to look towards his and regrettably she did.

"Maka…" He murmured. "Aren't we best friends?" Maka's heart dropped six feet.

* * *

"Well were actually in Death City, can you believe it Tsubaki?" Black Star whistled while giving a stretch of his arms as they strolled through the vibrant City. Tsubaki nodded in agreement taking in the sights before her, while Soul himself…well all he could do was give a tense smile, not actually genuine but enough that it fooled Tsubaki and Black Star.

"So we better head towards…Shibusen right?" Tsubaki asked the two and Soul slightly went stiff while Black Star gave a giant whoop into the air.

"Of course! We better register for school right?" Black Star spoke aloud.

"But…where is Shibusen exactly?" While she questioned this aloud a passerby noticed them to be travelers and while Tsubaki and Black Star conversed with the bystander Soul started to think of his options.

Okay he was in Death City…now what? Stupid Arachne never gave him further orders than that! He fussed to himself trying to make some sort of plan.

"Hey Soul." With the tap to his shoulder Soul jumped back with fright, noticing it to be Black he reprimanded himself. "Um, the old geezer said to just walk upwards and that Shibusen is located at the peak of the city, cool eh?"

"Who you calling an old geezer!?" Black Star's head went colliding into his and the two yelped in pain.

"MOTHER-"

"I'm so sorry sir; he didn't mean to call you that!" Tsubaki was apologizing to the old man while Black Star and him held their throbbing heads.

"That…"

"BASTARD!"

"Um, I suggest you run sir."

* * *

Holding ice to their bruising foreheads both Soul and Black Star regretted even picking a fight with the old man, in the end they got their asses handed to them. Anyways Soul still had a problem, besides the large purple bruise adorning his forehead.

"Ahhh, we better get going, should register before sundown you know…" Black Star grunted out dropping the ice toward the ground and shakily standing up.

"Oh jeez, I hope you don't have a concussion or anything like that Black Star…" Tsubaki said worriedly and with a simple gesture, Black Star waved her off.

"No worries Tsubaki, I'm fine…come on its like 6:00!" The two began to walk while Soul remained sitting.

"Hey wait, Soul? Aren't you coming?" Tsubaki grabbed Black Star by the arm and halted him in his steps, the partners turn to look oddly at him and with a simple shrug of his shoulders he replied with a flat out…

"No."

"Why not?" Black Star's voice had a undertone of whining at his stubbornness but Soul remained sitting.

"Well you're going to go register at Shibusen right?" The two nodded. "And for that you need documents, papers stating who you are and what not right?" Awkwardly they nodded again. "I don't have such things." It was of the moment kind of thing and it would suffice the two enough to not drag him along toward Shibusen. Not that he wanted to go there even if he had a birth certificate to hand to them anyways.

"We should have thought of such a thing." Tsubaki muttered sadly while approaching him. Soul glanced away from her as she sat to the right of him while Black Star stood in front of him.

"Don't sweat it, I'll be…fine…" He lied; he didn't know what the hell he was going to do.

Well he was in Death City but now what? How did he get close to Maka Albarn…a name he didn't really want to admit out loud but would quietly mutter off and on, on his trip to Death City. Of course Arachne provided things such as where she lived and where she went to school which was an elementary school that transited to Shibusen once at proper age but still, what should he do with such information?

"Soul if need be we can get you such documents…" Black Star whispered to him as he bent forward and was in close proximity to his face, he nudge the guy backwards.

"What do you mean?" He questioned not really caring for the answer.

"Well, me and Tsubaki required such stuff…illegally." He managed to whisper and Soul raised an eyebrow.

"Wait you mean…" Soul glanced at the two and Tsubaki uncomfortably glanced downward. Black Star giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "No shit…" He murmured holding back a grin at the new information.

"So, if need, we could get you something. Maybe a new identity?" At his offer Soul held back his emotions not letting anything show for face value. On the inside though he grinned madly.

"I couldn't ask you guys to do that for me; won't you get in some serious shit or something?"

"We already did it twice; we don't mind doing it a third time." Black Star informed.

"Well I really do appreciate the offer but, I think I'll figure out something in the end. Seriously don't worry about me!" He waved to the two who gave one another awkward glances.

"What are you going to do then Soul? You still want to come to Shibusen with us, or…?" Tsubaki asked.

"No, you two go on ahead. I'll catch up with you guys later. I have some…business to take care of." He responded his voice languid while he propped himself forward on the bench he was sitting upon.

"You sure?" Black Star sounded too concern for his own good and not really finding the situation warming he stood up and gave Black Star a pointed look, immediately making him shrug back.

"Look I'll be fine and the city has good cover, it's a maze in here honestly and if I run into any unwanted trouble. I can take care of myself and…take off if need be. Don't worry about me and go and register for school." Providing the two with a lopsided grin that revealed his sharp canines they both smiled sheepishly and prepared to leave.

"You better stay out of trouble dude." Black Star yelled aloud while closing his eyes only to open them as he stared into Soul's red orbs. "You know it would be cool if you and I had a class together."

"Yeah." With a high five, they left him by his lonesome and as he watched, their backs fade off into the distance. He stalked off himself with hands in pockets and a bitter frown upon his face.

* * *

Mournful eyes connected with concern gold ones as Maka gaped at Kid. She felt tears coming to the edges of her lashes.

"Kid, I'm so sorry!" She wailed out as she collapsed back into her chair, earning curious gazes from the customers and Mr. Herald who approached them both.

"Maka, is this boy bothering you?" He questioned and with a rapid shake of her head, she brushed away the tears.

"No, he's…my best friend…" She replied hoarsely the words completely foreign to her. While Mr. Herald gave a polite nod, he left but not without giving Kid a warning look. He looked away embarrassed. "Oh Kid I'm really sorry…" She murmured her chest crestfallen.

"You know if I knew you would have this type of reaction…I would have told you this years ago." He replied warmth in his voice that melted her heart, oh jeez she felt like crying again. "Come on let's go sit in one of those booths, hmm?" With a nod from her he led her away from the front of the café and headed with her towards the back where they found a quiet booth in the far corner away from prying eyes.

Sitting across from one another Kid offered a small smile to Maka who only sniffed and gave back a weak one. His eyes focused only on her as she wiped her eyes again.

"I'm so emotional right now Kid, you don't know what hell I've been through at school…" She murmured looking aghast toward the table that separated them. "But…" She paused wondering if to continue but with a hum from Kid she sighed. "Did you really mean what you just said? About us being…best friends?" She rushed out the last part and squeezed her eyes tight.

"Yeah, didn't know I had to say it out loud for you to believe it…" He gave a chuckle and her face turned ashen.

"I…"

"Maka I'll admit that I always thought of you as my best friend. We have known each other since we were toddlers and you know I tell you anything that's wrong." She shook her head numbly not quite believing that he actually admitted to being her best friend. "So as my best friend I expect the same courtesy from you so what happened to you today?" She gave him a bleak smile.

"Everything went wrong in the worst possible of ways." She replied meekly as a sullen smile came to her.

* * *

Sighing she prepared herself, body and soul as one she walked into the foyer of Shibusen. A grand place that she visited over her childhood years she knew the place like the back of her hand. Glancing around her she pulled from her pocket her timetable.

She had just come from the opening ceremony where she had bid Kid, Liz and Patty good-bye while her father walked her to the very doors of Shibusen. He was completely fussy acting like it was her first day in kindergarten. Of course though he was completely oblivious to all the eyes that landed on them both. She was fully aware though and a tint of pink flushed her cheeks.

Waving him off she now found herself looking for her first class only to come across one title.

_Class Crescent Moon._

She knew exactly where she had to be.

Sitting near the front of the class room she keep to herself while the other students conversed while she remained quiet. Most of the students here she went to school, with but even though she knew most from her childhood years…being friends with Shinigami's son made her have a big chip on the shoulder. Only in a bad way. People were always wary of her, like she was some sort of uptight person.

A princess…she corrected. Sure she was the daughter of the Shinigami's death scythe but other than that she had no royal heritage to speak of. She glanced around to notice familiar students from her old school walk in. Two girls named Kim and Jacqueline. They were really nice to her and she would some times talk with them but they were born partners.

That's what was making her completely worried at the moment. As they gave her a friendly wave and sat to the left of her she turned her attention back towards the front of the class, watching the door. Waiting for someone new to come walking in.

The problem for her at the moment was that she did not have a clue as who she would or could partner up with. Like she mentioned before most students were already paired up from their earlier years and others who weren't were really cautious of her. While more students filled the room all she saw were familiar faces.

Her hopes of coming upon someone new, someone who wouldn't know of who she was, was slowly dwindling. Hand holding her head she sighed and let her forehead hit the desk she was sitting in.

"Okay settle down everyone, my name is Sid Barett and I'll be your teacher for this coming year." Maka slightly dazed lifted her head up and to see that the whole classroom was now filled and the door to the room shut close.

Bowing her head she listened to her teacher's instructions.

What Sid had all of the class do next was come forward to the middle of the classroom and introduce themselves and one by one he called everyone up in alphabetical order and she happened to be the first one up. Giving a swear she cursed her last name in vain as she made her way to the front, awkwardly and with eyes cast downwards.

Turning to face the classroom she took a breath and suddenly felt the weight of many eyes on her, she sweat dropped. So many curious eyes she hated it, she felt like bolting out of the room, hiding behind her the desk, hiding behind the teacher. Anywhere but here!

"State who you are and some interest of yours." Sid told her sweetly she gave a nod and turned her attention back toward the front.

"Right, um my name is…Maka." She murmured to the class. She then noticed some new faces in with some of the old ones and her heart lifted a bit.

"Louder if you please." Sid asked kindly. She straightened her figure and smiled toward everyone.

"My name is Maka Albarn. I like doing puzzles and reading books." She said aloud proudly.

"Book worm…" Was all she heard while the class suddenly started snickering. Maka's face went red in the cheeks.

"Who said that? I'm not a man, who would allow such teasing, Maka, you can sit down." Her head stiff she returned to her seat and that sudden rush of self-esteem she had moments before, gone from her as she sat back down. Not noticing the glaring that Kim and Jacqueline gave people behind her nor the other students who glance at her in mild curiosity.

More or less the day went on and it was completely awkward. In Shibusen their was a system set up for everyone to meet with their fellow students. Given a nametag that would deduct whether you were a Meister or Weapon she went around meeting other people. Most who already had partners and some who only had questions about her father.

Everyone was interested in her when it came to talking about her father. But when it came to talking bout anything that dealt with partnership, people shied away from her. As the day came to a closing, she had no luck in talking with any weapon. They would either ignore her request to chat with her or simply walk away from her, sniggering about something.

The day ended and her luck was poor, no chances, with anybody! Completely sullen she ventured to the ladies room and stepping into one of the stalls she leaned against the closed door and sighed.

"This royally sucked." She murmured only to hear as someone entered the bathroom, it seemed a group of girls had ventured in and were talking loudly. She was just about to open the door but paused when she heard her name spoken aloud by whoever had entered. Stepping back, she sat on the seat of the toilet and pulling up her legs remained sitting in the stall, quiet and in wonder at why they were talking about her.

"Jeez zat book 'orm is so uptight neh?" One voice spoke aloud the girl had a heavy accent border lining French and German, the mix of the two making it slightly hard for her to understand.

"The princess of Shibusen, god you have to be kidding me!" Whomever they were their words stabbed painfully into her heart.

"I know neh? She iz all thinking she'z better than us."

"Well you just have to be careful of girl's like her, if they think so highly of themselves they adopt such a nickname like princess well you just know she's a snob."

"She's such a bookworm too, I mean…I like puzzles and reading? What the fuck right?" Their laughter made her throat clench in a knot and she had trouble swallowing it back down. She knew a sob or a whimper would escape her if she let it come up.

"Well it iz a good'ing that we 'arned ebeyone bout her."

"Yep, yep no one wants to be partners with such a bitch." Maka felt like crying, felt like hitting something but remained frozen in the little stall as whoever the girls were, left the bathroom leaving her shaking in a mix of anger and misery.

Gathering her self she came out of the washroom with such anxiety she felt the need to throw up. She knew something like this would happen. Why were girls's so mean? They didn't know anything about her, not one thing at all. Yet they spoke such callous things about her and behind her back too. If they had any guts what so ever they would have said such things to her face.

Releasing a tired sigh she retreated out of the washroom and in a daze walked out of Shibusen and like a whip she heard her name again only coming from someone of the opposite sex. She knew that they were whispering about her but she paid them no attention she just tried to concentrate on leaving the grounds.

"Well that's the princess eh? She's kind of cute in that snobbish way don't you think?"

"Hey I bet if you were her partner you could become friends with Death Scythe, OR get to know Death the Kid, that would be sweet right?"

"Totally man…" Whipping her head around to glare at the two talking about her they noticed her fixed stare upon them and both blushed in embarrassment as they walked away from her.

"Holy crap she heard me!"

"What a freak." The other retorted loud enough that she knew he made sure she heard. They disappeared down the steps and Maka numbly looked down to her feet.

People can be so mean.

**Well Maka seems a little bit OOC in here doesn't she? And don't worry you can be honest with me, I would appreciate it. But to make it seem more simple I think I'll explain things? **

_**Difference's in AUverse**_** (New thing I'm trying tell me if you like me doing so!)**

**In here Maka is bff's with Kid who she always admired. I got the idea from looking at Liz and Patty's relationship with Kid and his positive influence on them and thought if he could do so with them wouldn't he have the same effect on Maka? Who was always so appreciated of such a friendship even though she had her doubts on what he thought of her. So when Maka starts her crying she's so happy that he admitted that she was his best friend. **

**For Maka such a prospect always made her slightly doubtful because with Kid comes the titles of being a Death God. A thing I will probably explain further, later on in the story.**

**- -**

**Black Star and Tsubaki. Oh la, la some interesting things eh? Again later on in the story I'll give you some background information. Don't you find it weird that the two aren't already at Shibusen in the beginning; it begs to question how they ended up AS mercenaries.**

**- -**

**Liz and Patty, their background information is the same as in the manga/anime nothing much is different in here with them. Meanwhile Kid is best friends with Maka. The prospect of which happened long before he had encountered Liz and Patty.**

**- -**

**Soul Eater. His home life is screwed up if you get my drift and basically I put in my own personally idea's on his home life. To me I think probably in the manga that his family was rich uptight snobs who always expected a lot from him but in the end he just didn't cut it and went to live at Shibusen. In here though, their thrice as bad and complete and utter loonies, ALL OF THEM. Soul got some of his quirks from some of them. 8D**

**LOL well that's a first. Maybe I'll do this every few chapters…**


	8. Progression

**HOLY MOTHER ON EARTH IT IS THE 8****TH**** CHAPTER AND SOUL AND MAKA HAVEN'T EVEN MET! WHAT IN THE WORLD? I know some or you are waiting for some sort of Soul and Maka interactions because you can't have Maka without Soul…lame pun not intended. Well I just want to say before the chapter starts that I love you all…erm, enjoy!**

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 8**

"OI, TSUBAKI!" Black Star yelled out as he placed his hands to his hips giving out a low whistle of approval.

"Uh…yes Black Star?" She murmured slightly in awe at the school before them.

"This is the perfect place for my big stage eh?" With a nod from Tsubaki, he came from behind her and ushered her forward toward the inside of Shibusen's school gates.

- -

What was he doing? Where was he going? Where…the hell was he?

Pausing in the middle of an alley, he had not realized that he turned into a very dark one out of the public's eye and into a creepy abandon alley. One if not careful could get jump in. Shrugging he paused against the wall and leaned against it, appreciating its cool pressure against his back.

Death City was a moderately warm city; it wasn't too hot that it was sweltering but warm enough to go walking around in a t-shirt. He happened to be wearing grey Capri's and a simple white t-shirt. Something he had been wearing since he left Arachne's. He didn't doubt that he probably looked a little rugged and maybe with the bruise slightly beaten. Eyes wandering towards the sky he let himself slide down the wall and he sat in the empty alleyway, and let his eyes relaxed. He could have very well dozed off then and there but with the feeling of something crawling up his leg…his eyes jerked open.

"What the…" He noticed a very large spider crawling up his pant leg and he screamed out, the thing was as huge as his fist! "FUCK!" He jump upwards in fright and did a little jig where he stood hoping the thing fell off him.

"Hey, hey, HEY!" Was someone talking to him? He questioned as he stopped to examine that the spider was gone and nowhere in sight. Satisfied he looked around again for the voice only not to see anyone around him. Perplexed he wondered if he conjured up a voice in his head. Dusting himself off he realized how silly he looked and prepared to leave the alley before any more giant spiders attacked him.

"That's him alright." A voice he recognized spoke from behind him. Raising his guard, he jumped around to come face to face with Arachne, the spider witch. He smirked.

"I was wondering when you would show your face." He whispered toward the witch who offered him a sly smile.

"You didn't think Auntie Arachne would just leave you…_hanging_?" She replied, with her last words he felt something pulling at his arms, and he was dragged upwards into the air.

- -

Maka's eyes remained glued to the tabletop of the booth, face pale and shoulder's shaking she couldn't believe how much today got to her. How people's words got to her. She felt completely and utterly pathetic. With a tusking sound from Kid, she returned her attention to him.

She studied his face that held empathy for her that she suddenly felt she did not deserve and with glowing gold eyes he gave a shake of his head.

"That's sounds all harsh Maka and I'm sorry that such things happened to you. However, believe me when I say this cliché thing. Don't give a rat's ass what those assholes say." The menacing voice he took on at the end made involuntary chills overcome her and with a bow of her own head, she gave a sullen nod. He realized his mistake and with a sigh, he looked off toward the distance and with a peek of her eyes, she noticed how he stared outwards towards the street. Many people passing the little café.

"Humans are very interesting beings, the emotions one behaves with are complicated and especially to someone like me. Of course all these emotions that everyone exhibits, jealous, hate are normal feelings that provide a barrier between a Death God such as I, and a human such as you." He gave a shake of his head again while he returned his gaze towards her. "Therefore when I say that you have to ignore such things I only say in knowledge of your people. The concinnities of such behavior's gives me understanding that…these people you go to school with while they say such things they only say out of hostility of who you seem to be as a being, not as a whole. Ignore them Maka your better off not letting yourself getting dragged down by such things."

"Kid…I wish I was a weapon." Kid raised an eyebrow.

- -

"Holy shit lady where the hell?" Soul yelled out as he was propelled upwards toward the tops of the buildings that hid the alleyway. Stomach dropping and fist raised he started to swore toward the spider witch as she was beside him, floating upwards with him on her webs of black silk. Which he was hanging from, by a thread if he had not happened to mention.

Once at the tops of the building he was fling backwards from the webs onto the top of the roof and landed unceremoniously onto his behind. He flipped Arachne the middle finger which she laughed at as she landed gracefully before him.

"Ah the pure amusement I got from the look on your face…" She mused while stepping around him. He got up slowly while dusting himself off.

"Yeah, yeah…fuck you." She laughed again while he gave her a glare and noticed a very large arachnid crawling up her shoulder, one that a few moments before was crawling up his leg.

"Holy hell there's a big…"

"Spider? Yeah his name is Johnny and he was suppose to be keeping an eye on you but…lost you when you fighting with that, _boy_." She murmured while giving the spider named Johnny a cross look. "Also you really do have a keen eye Soul Eater, your companions you have will provide to be useful to you and _me_ in the future." Soul didn't like how she said that and he scoffed.

"You can leave those two moron's alone, their with me" He spoke dangerously barring jagged teeth. She laughed at him.

"And your with me Soul Eater…anyways we can talk about them later. Right now I'm just concerning myself with you…"

"Really? Well it's about time. All you told me to do was come to Death City but now what?"

"Get close to the girl." She replied and it was now his turn to laugh.

"Pfft, I knew that but _how_?" She circled around him and he let his red orbs stay on her.

"I took the opportunity to enroll you at the distinguished Shibusen." She said it all so casually that it took some time for him to actually deposit some of the information.

"WHAT?" He yelled out in outrage, _him_ go to Shibusen. _That_ prep school?!

"Uh huh, how else would you get close to her if you didn't go to the same school as her, hmm? You have to get close to her and I suggest becoming her partner."

"Partner…?" He questioned even though such a prospect he full well came across. Arachne was right, he needed to get close to her and becoming her partner was the only way.

"Yes and lucky for you she didn't have any luck with getting one, thanks to the one and only." Soul cast her a sidelong look.

"What did you do?" He questioned crossed.

"Well she's an interesting little blossom the girl you picked. I just made it easier for you to become a partner with… by removing others who sought her out."

"Meaning?" She wasn't answering him and she offered a diminutive smile.

She brought her arm upwards and she happened to be wearing a long sleeved dress, the arms of which cascaded downwards in a black curtain of night, and with a swish upwards, a girl appeared underneath the arm. Soul confused watched as the girl moved forward in a puppet fashion, stopped before him and gave him a wink of her shadowed eyes.

"Hello cutie, I went and spread some nasty rumors about your girl. You should thank me." She purred as she leaned against him. He pushed her off him and received a malicious glare from the girl as she jumped backwards. Her movements mocked with Arachne's as the woman's pale hands glided the girl back to her side.

"You're pretty cunning…" He murmured with a tinge of amusement.

"Of course anything you hear about the girl is false rumors; the minds of the youthful can be so manipulative with sly words…" Arachne gave a devious smirk while the girl disappeared by breaking down into millions of spiders. Soul took a cautious step backwards.

"Your magic's impressive…" He murmured as the spider's crawled into cracks and crevices.

"It is only a fraction of what I can do. Now I hope you're ready for school tomorrow. I'm betting you've never been to a public institution, so be on your best behavior and…" She looked down at his clothes while making a clicking noise with her tongue. "Now that won't do…good thing I've prepared some living arrangements for you."

"Thanks?" He replied while she snapped her fingers and in a cloud of smoke a pair of keys appeared before him with a number attached to them. "Apartment 7? How lucky." Taking the keys, he placed them in his pants pocket.

"It's a nice place too and I've also filled the fridge and brought some clothes for you."

"Why so much?" At all her sincerity Soul couldn't help being suspicious.

"Soul Eater you're doing so much for me." Her voice in a lyrical note. "Believe me…" She whispered the last part and he had to strain to hear her.

"I'll do whatever needs be to get close to her…" A silent vow to himself, Soul clenched his fists.

"Good boy! That reminds me I'll be helping you dress tomorrow so be ready!"

"Wait…what?" She started to leave him but he yelled for her to stop. "Wait! I…got a question. It's been at the back of my mind since I started talking to you."

"Yes?"

"How are you here? You're a witch, Shibusen aren't a bunch of crack heads even with their teachings. They should have picked up on your wavelength." He proclaimed.

"Oh Soul…" She murmured while approaching him. "Who said I was even here?" She ran a hand into his gut and he jerked backwards and tripped over the edge. Just as she pulled her hand out of him, she was a hologram.

With a sly smirk, she gave him a wave as he fell backwards with the lurch of gravity upon him.

- -

"A weapon?" He mused with a laugh that warmed her soul.

"Yeah…so that…we could be partners." Abruptly his laughter stopped and Maka stiffened. She quickly went to make amends for her thoughts. "But I wouldn't consider such a possibility because of Liz and Patti!" Her eyes cast downwards in embarrassment only to notice his hand in front of her. A shy smile adorned her features as she needily reached forward to grasp it.

"You'll find someone."

"Yeah…" He gave her fingers a tight squeeze. For the next hour, they both talked of memories of days when it was just the two of them.

- -

"How is the search going for Stein?" The wise but funny willed Shinigami of Death asked his death scythe, Spirit who with a sullen shake of his head gave out a tired sigh.

"I've checked his laboratory here in the Suburbs but I've haven't found a single trace of him. He's gone."

"This is a new development he's been missing for a week…he didn't say anything to you did he, Spirit?"

"No, we haven't talked in years actually." Embarrassed Spirit glanced away while Shinigami chuckled.

"Ah, ya, ya…don't worry there's bound to be something." He murmured joyously in his grand voice but Spirit heard an undercurrent of worry cast from him. Even though there were no expressions from Shinigami but a mask. Spirit learned to listen to the vibrations of his voice and knew that Shinigami was concern.

"Shinigami, sir?" Shinigami turned towards the voice that called out to him to see the teacher Sid Barett, awkwardly standing on the steps that lead up to the platform Shinigami was speaking on.

"We'll continue this later Spirit, I bet your daughter is home by now…"

"Yes sir…" Their conversation ended as the mirror showed back his reflection.

"Ah Sid, what can I do for you?"

"We got two new travelers, who wish to attend Shibusen, their from…"

"CANADA!" A boisterous voice was heard from behind Sid.

"Black Star!" Shinigami curiously ushered them in and looking upon the two new arrivals gave out a loud welcome.

"YO, yo, yo I am Shinigami or Death God for you Canadian folks. I am the one in charge of this fine establishment!"

"Black Star, the one and only great god of the world!" The shorter of the two replied.

"Tsubaki." The female gave a polite bow, one that made Shinigami a little suspicious.

"Canada eh?" Eyeing the girl as she paled slightly and glanced to the boy as he eagerly shook his head. Shinigami took note of the star tattoo upon the boy's shoulder and he had to do a double take. "What brings you all the way from Canada to attend Shibusen, hmm?" The boy was the first one to reply, not to mention the quicker one.

"You hear about Shinigami Weapon Meister Vocational School in the states. The school program you offer sounds right to partners like Tsubaki and I!"

"Partner's?" Interested he watched the boy, Black Star gave Tsubaki a nod as she poof out of existence to come back in a form of a Kusari-gama, a Japanese weapon that dated back to the 12th century, a very popular weapon used back during feudal Japan. "Ah, I see your both already weapon and tech I assume?"

"You assume correctly now are we aloud to attend your school here?"

"How can I say no? Welcome to Shibusen!" With a joyous jump, Black Star released his hold on Tsubaki while she returned to her human form and gave Black Star a hug while he returned it whole-heartedly. A hidden smile formed on the Death God's face. While Sid went to usher them out, Shinigami raised his large white gloved hand and stopped them.

"Yes sir?"

"I'm guessing you two have no living arrangements at the moment…judging by the packs on your backs?" The two partners glanced at each other.

"No, not at the moment we don't…" Tsubaki replied honestly and Shinigami tilted his head.

"What kind of school would we be if we had our students sleeping on the streets hmm? You can stay in the guest rooms until we arrange something for you, sound good?"

They both eagerly nodded their heads again while Sid went once more to take them off.

"Ah, Sid? I need to chat with you a bit."

"Oh…well…you two if you go out those large red doors your find yourself in the hallway that will lead back to the foyer, go there and a lady named Mira Nygus should be there. Tell her Sid sent you and that she's supposed to show you to the guest rooms, alright?" With a nod the two left and once out of ear shot Sid gave Shinigami a cautious look.

"Their documents are clearly fake…I brought them here to you so to see what you'll would do with them but, your honestly letting them attend Shibusen though?" The three star tech was clearly confused while he scratched the top of his head.

"They have great potential to become valuable assets to Shibusen. It's better for such a pair to stay here under my watch so that we can observe their progress. The boy has potential of becoming something great, much can be said when you have a glance at his Soul." Sid who did not have Soul perception remained clueless but accepted Shinigami's reasoning not that he wouldn't in the first place. "Beside the potential he has, he also has the latent possibility of becoming something horrible, a kishin."

"A Kishin, how so?"

"On his shoulder did you notice the star tattoo?"

"Well, yeah but there's no possible connection with that clan…"

"Hmm…maybe…" Shinigami replied secretively, Sid raised an eyebrow. "Either way I think we should look into who they really are now don't you agree?" Sid nodded. "So I would like you to get in contact with Yumi."

"Why Yumi?"

"She monitor's East Asia and thus is close to Japan. I have reason to believe that Tsubaki is from there…wonder how they traveled all the way to the USA." It was a question that Shinigami asked himself while he twirled around to face the mirror behind him.

"Why Japan? She could be from Hong Kong or…"

"No, it's Japan. The weapon she transforms into is one that comes from Japan and a family there specializes in such forms…also she's very polite." Shinigami laughed and with a nod Sid took, Shinigami's reasoning. It made sense and the more he thought of it, something clicked.

"Wait…you mean…"

"Yes, I guess the Nakatsukasa heiress is not dead."

- -

"It's getting dark you better hurry up home. Your father's probably worrying about you."

"Ah, let him worry." She smirked enjoying their conversation.

"No you shouldn't."

"Okay." She got up living Kid. Confused he awkwardly got up too.

"I mean it is getting dark." Flustered he caught up with her just as she bid the shopkeeper goodbye.

"Kid I'm going to always listen to you and if you say it's getting dark…well let's just go alright?" The two left the little café and Kid could not help being slightly unsettled.

"Well, okay then but remember one thing before you go. Analyze." Slightly confused she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Analyze, you mean when tomorrow I go back to school I consider everyone's actions to…"

"Pick out all the people who'll do you no good."

"Seems like good advice." She murmured.

"Sometimes it may seem like someone's just being friendly to you seeking something in return…such as those two boys you told me before. Evaluate things and so you will be ready for unwanted company. That is all I can say for advice on going to school tomorrow… He murmured to her outside the door of the café she smiled.

"Thank you."

"Now, do you want me to walk you home or…"

"It's alright Kid I'll be fine. I only live a few blocks from here anyhow."

"Right…take care Maka. I'll see you tomorrow." She watched him off and once he turned the street, she let out an exhale and trembled. She wanted to be a weapon so much. She gave up hope on being with anyone else and cursed how she did not get her father's genes. For the first time in her life, she wished she were a little bit like her father.

- -

Soul stood up on a building's top surveying everything below him. As the night came over the city and the grinning sun sunk down into the horizon. A demonic looking moon took its place and lit the city in a luminous light. He stood above the scattering crowds as they retired home in nothing but black garb. Standing above the city only a shadow, a silhouette of a specter.

He admitted that the way he looked and dressed was ominous and with watching the city, he may have looked silly which slightly pissed him off. Never one to fully cover himself in black he felt it pointless. He had white hair for god sakes, there was no use hiding in black attire when your hair was a brilliant white. He sighed.

If he had to guess, Arachne's favorite color had to be black. Why? Well when he went to the very spacious apartment building where he was suppose to live in. He came up to his room, lucky number seven and once entering came upon a cozy little apartment with three rooms, a bathroom and a kitchen that was connected to a living room.

In one of the rooms, the one located nearest to the kitchen was a closet filled with clothes. Clothes meant for him. Everything in there a listless black. He frowned in memory of it. There were black shirts, black jeans, black shorts, BLACK EVERYTHING! Even his underwear was black. Hell, how the heck did she even know his measurements anyhow? Not wanting to think about it, he returned his attention back towards the streets.

A few minutes ago, some stray souls walked about but now the streets were completely bare. No soul was about and the silence that came from below was eerie. Returning his gaze upwards toward the sky he watched the few stars above him and scoffed.

"I hate stars…" Go away. He thought distractedly and bent down on his knees. With hands in his pockets, he was completely bored and did not even know why he came outside. Well it was only seven 'o clock, it being too early for bed and there was nothing at his apartment to amuse himself with. He made a mental note to ask Arachne for some money. He always wanted to watch TV before…

Voices below him brought him from his musings and he saw two teenage boys. Murmuring some sort of shit about random things…they left him at crack and he ignored them. Musing about the things he should buy to make that cozy apartment more homely to live in.

- -

"Guess who I saw?"

"The grim reaper?" The other replied snidely. He was in serious need for some sort of fix.

"We see him every where…and who I saw goes to that prep school Shibusen…"

"Oh come on now, who?"

"Maka Albarn." The other boy replied a glint in his eye. The other boy's eyes radiated in thought of the name.

"Really now? Is she by herself?"

"Yeah, and she's listening to music…while walking in the dark. What a dumb ass…" The two laughed.

"Maybe we should show the little kitten home eh?"

The other boy found his fix.

- -

Maka listened to the beat of the song. Paying attention to the lyrics that formed with the background of the song, she closed her eyes. Pulling up her hood she had hidden under the coat Kid had brought her she slowly made her way home. Not noticing the two people tailing her.

**LOL, I LIED. THEY MEET NEXT CHAPTER…DON'T HURT ME. UH, yeah sorry but I decided a cliffhanger would be best to stop the chapter at. I could have added in Soul and Maka meeting. (Not in the way, you'll expect) But that would have made the chapter longer than I intend my chapters to be. I always put up a little stop mark for myself and I never go longer than 12 pages…well not now anyways.**

**ALSO WHO SAW DARK KNIGHT? I DID! WHOOHOO! The joker was awesome that's all I wanted to say, lol.**

**Enjoy my friends, I love you all and I love all the reviews, thank you so much.**


	9. Your Innocence

His Dark Place

**Okay so I wonder if this chapter is shorter than others? Hmm, well we finally have Soul and Maka in this chapter! Finally, right? Well I did say this was going to be epic. Anyways thanks for all the hits and reviews, also for all the people who keep on clicking to the next chapter, enjoy.**

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 9**

Murmuring and wondering and maybe just a little bit of hoping did Soul see something interesting below him. What was happening was a mixture of what he could not define. A feeling of different sorts but the one feeling that came to him was a growing insanity. Death City was cozy, safe and he noted that when you are bored with such a state you add in a little bit of something different to get the people going.

Such as the two boys stalking that poor girl. He didn't know what they were going to do with her, maybe just a little bit of himself didn't care but because of the insanity, the craving he could see in them. He wanted them to be a little bit crazier, so he could have some fun with them. There were feelings that his family burned into him; made him feel and he couldn't drop such feelings. They were apart of him now and maybe forever so when he decided to have his fun, he forgot all about the trivial things such as consequence's. All their was, was their insanity and his eagerness to have fun. Now.

- -

"We gotta jump her now, before she get's home." One of them said impatiently, his fingers shaking and body ringing with something that could have borderline desire.

"Just wait a bit you idiot…we have to make sure it's the right moment, the opportune moment…"

"She'll be at home with daddy if we wait all night for THAT moment!" The impatient one jumped forward and made a beeline for the girl. His friend followed quickly after to intercept the two but a figure of black swept down before him and his buddy before they could even get within eyeshot of the girl who idly left them as she turned a corner. Her music blasting in her ears causing deaf to the world around her. Oblivious of the three dark figures she left behind.

"Who the fuck are you?" The one who was the first to see the figure yelled out, more than slightly ticked. The figure laughed.

"How are you doing this fine night?" The person in the cape asked. The impatient one gawked.

"HOLY SHIT, IT'S BATMAN!"

"No you moron, batman wears a mask this idiot's not and beside's this kid has white hair…"

"Hello and I'm going to ask you again, how are you this fine evening?"

"What the hell is wrong with you kid, leave us alone or do you want YOUR ass kicked, this fine evening?" The one who had the smart mouth asked causing the impatient one of the two to snicker.

"Just enjoying Death City. It's a nice place but kind of boring at night. Don't you agree?"

"You deaf kid? Get lost." They went again to leave the boy behind to follow the girl but he stood before them again, standing there like some dumb ass, he really wanted a beating.

"I think he want's to have some fun…"

"How'd you know?"

- -

Soul knew what type of idiots he was dealing with. All he needed to do was goad them enough into a fight and poke a few buttons and they would be in a blind rage becoming easy pickings for him.

"How'd you know I wanted a fight? You two don't strike me as the sensible types."

"Are you calling us stupid?"

"No…I just thought your brains ran on nuts, did you know that nuts provide the brain with 2 percent of brain power?"

"Really?" The impatient one, Soul presumed asked seriously that he decided to name that one Chuck.

"You idiot he's calling us dumb!" The other one who he now called Bob smacked Chuck in the back of his head.

"OW!" Soul gave them a smile mining not to show his teeth.

"Back to what you've said before…did you just ask us for a fight?"

"Why yeah, I did."

"Do you know who your talking to?" Bob asked in what Soul cited as his menacing voice.

"Dumb and Dumber?"

"THE JONAS BROTHERS!"

"Well that doesn't sound gay at all…" Soul rolled his eyes.

"That's it…transform!" Chuck muttered and in a blinding flash of white, he transformed into…

"A bat…joy your going to beat me to death?" Soul was amused while Bob got a better handling of his transformed brother. Soul cracked his knuckles and neck. Preparing for some fun.

"If we finish up this brat quickly we can catch the girl…"

"Well stop talking then and come and attack me…" Soul watched passively at the movements of Bob. They were lazy and blocky as he depended only on the fact that when he swung Chuck, he would connect with whatever he was trying to hit. He didn't follow through with his swings thus creating a path for Soul to allow solid hits back to Bob.

They were also wide enough he was able to side step his way out of range of Chuck. The more he dodged, the more Bob would cry out in rage making himself tired with every miss. Soul couldn't help being disappointed as Bob made another strike toward him and while doing so, Soul did a follow through of his arm and landed a direct hit into the gut of Bob who spluttered out in agony.

"Well I thought this was going to be fun…but it feels like I'm battling immature children…" Tusking he pulled away from Bob and gave a solid kick to his side as he fell over. His brother turned back into the form of a human and went to tend to his brother. Soul looked at the two in mock amusement. "That girl you were trailing, probably could have kicked your pathetic asses…you guys weren't any fun…" Soul shook his head and started to leave. Liking the workout but disliking that it wasn't interesting.

"Where the hell you going? We ain't done with you yet…"

"Yeah? Well I'm done with you two, later losers." Soul started to casually walk away before he jumped upwards into air landing on a fire escape, which he climbed onto and took to the rooftops. The idiots following him.

- -

"Nobody, and I mean nobody makes a fool out of the Jonas brothers…" Bob muttered angrily following the crude little bastard, who had inane strength with the way he moved and jump from building to building. He had trouble keeping up with the squirt but he wouldn't let him get away. He was going to kill him for calling them losers, no one could find out about it and the little ass shat seemed like one to brag.

Huffing and puffing behind him his younger brother followed him.

"Why don't we just leave him alone? We can't catch him…he's too fast!"

"Shut up!" He yelled back angrily not giving up on catching him. "I got something…" Pulling out a gun from his coat pocket one he regrettably hadn't taken out when fighting the kid he aimed for him and prepared to fire.

- -

Maka reached the front door of her apartment building, fishing out her keys from her coat pocket she prepared to enter but decided to take one last glimpse of the moon. The moon was morbidly creepy and the atmosphere it had when it enveloped its glow upon Death City gave it an ethereal glow. One she appreciated. Sighing she turned back around only to hear a very large bang.

Whipping around she ducked to the ground, held her arms over her head, and heard another shot. It was gunfire. Peeking out she saw no one around her but heard another shot ring out and someone cursing. She immediately jumped over the ledge of the steps and took cover while taking a cautious peek out towards the street. No one was about but she swore the gunfire was close. Hearing more cussing this time coming from above her she glanced upwards and saw someone jumping over the building across the street from her.

This person had their arm stretched out before them while they flew in the air and while seemingly floating cast off the cloak that hanged to their lithe frame and down to the streets below. She heard another gunfire and watched mystified when suddenly the person's arm transformed into a long curving blade, glistening with the moonlight's glow her eyes went to the size of saucer's as she gasped.

The person deflected what she assumed was the bullet as it bounced off the metal and into the night. Looking closely to see the silhouette of the person's face shadowed in the moonlight but for them to turned their head enough that the light was cast across their face, she watched as the boy winced and finally fell from where he seemed to be only floating minutes before and down to earth. She jumped up.

He's hurt, he was shot, he was floating…wait could have been imagining that. Never mind, but he's a weapon a demon scythe. A SCYTHE! She went running toward the area where she seen him fall. Hoping that he was all right and that her mind wasn't playing tricks on her.

- -

Soul groaned inwardly cursing the two moron's for pulling such a cheap shot on him. He hadn't known that they would pull a gun on him. Cussing in the trash he had fallen into he got up and felt the bruises on his back, touching them tenderly as dumb and dumber appeared before him again. Jumping down from the fire escape to crouch to the ground and walk up to circle him.

"Thought you could get away huh? HUH?" The one he called Bob brought the back of the gun to his face and Soul fell backwards into the wall where he stayed. Eyeing the little weapon in Bob's hand with engrossed awareness.

"He's afraid now brother…" Chuck murmured and Soul glared at him only to notice the insanity hiding behind his black eyes. He smirked.

"Afraid, who's afraid, me?" Soul said aloud in a singsong voice causing the two to look at one another awkwardly making him laugh.

"What are you laughing about shit face, were going to kill you." Bob threatened.

"No, your not…I see you don't have the guts to. Your all talk Bobby boy…"

"Bobby?" Chuck questioned.

"You saying were afraid?" Bob ignored his brother in favor of him as he pressed the pistol to his forehead.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying…" He mocked.

"Crazy little fucker…" Chuck chided behind Bob as he approached him.

"See, I glimpse things in people and I notice a growing insanity…craziness if you will in Chuck over here. I see it in you two Bobby…" Soul connected eyes with Bob and noticed the visible shiver that enveloped him and the flickering of insanity dancing around in his glossy eyes. "Shadow's play at night boys and you don't have the guts to dance with them."

"Shut up, I'm going to pull this trigger and your brain is going to go all over this wall!" Bob threatened again in a voice cracking and shaking that Soul grinned finally barring jagged teeth in their direction.

"Please do and see what happens." He wanted them to pull the trigger so badly…the insanity in him was increasing; he was going crazy because being this close to death was making him insane.

"Shit, come on let's just go…someone probably heard us…" Chuck sounded scared now and that wouldn't do.

"Shut up!" However, his brother was distraught; he needed to push him more.

"Come on, do it! Pull the fucking trigger! Here I'll make it easier for you." Soul pulled the small revolver to his chest and pointed it directly towards his heart. "Pull the trigger Bobby, it'll be quick and clean, do it, pull it!"

"Brother…"

"Bobby don't be such a loser."

"SHUT UP!"

"Pull the fucking trigger!"

"BROTHER!"

"AHHG!" Bobby pulled the trigger repeatedly, but he had no bullets left, the cartilage was empty. Soul grinned manically while he took the gun from Bob's shaking hands and looked at it.

"Why this is a very old pistol you have here, got it from daddy?" Soul laughed while he used the back of the gun to smack Bob in the face, he fell over to the ground and Soul glanced at Chuck. Giving him a menacing look as he approached him. "9mm parabellum cartilage…judging by the number of shots you took I was leaving this all to a fifty-fifty chance of me living or dying, I guess I lived, lucky _me_."

"Dude we'll leave you alone, were sorry okay?"

"Sorry? No, no, no my friends…you bought something out tonight and it's going to finishing playing till it wants to go back to sleep." In the next few moments Soul lost all sense of reality, everything was chaotic and he didn't know where he was when it was all over.

- -

Maka was breathing hard as she finally came upon the alleyway she thought he fell into and to get to such alleyway she had to go running around the block, up two streets because the place was blocked off and down another alley. To finally arrive at the one she was sure he fell in. Before she entered into the lane, she quieted her breathing and listened.

In the darkness of the alley, she heard slow breathing, irregular and harsh she wondered if he was in there. She pulled up her hood and gulp as she entered into the darkness to be blinded by black. She clung to the wall beside her as she slowly edge in, following the breathing she thought that maybe he was badly injured and hastened her way toward the sounds.

Finally the moon which moments before was covered by a thunderous cloud of black appeared for a few seconds. Providing enough light to see into the darkness, she would have to turn a corner to reach the breathing. When she did the demonic moon was eclipsed again, a storm was brewing. Squinting into the darkness, she made out a figure of a person standing erect in the middle of the alley. They were staring upwards into the sky and she glanced up also feeling a raindrop against her cheek.

Slowly more rain came down and she awkwardly came from the corner of where she stood and went to approach him, to ask if he was all right. Only for lightening to illuminate the alley and she saw two bodies at his feet. Eyes wandering to them she saw the glint of sharp metal and her eyes became transfixed to his transformed arm. A liquid substance dripped from the curve of the blade and she knew it wasn't the rain. She held back a gasp as she stepped back and in a rush of wind, rain started to pour down on them. Maka pulled out of the alley when she saw him moving again.

Chills ran up her spine as she hid behind a corner that she pressed her body to and in her fright, she held herself close and ducked to her knees as she closed her eyes. Why did she have to come running over here for? She was gonna get herself killed! She heard the squelching noise of shoes against sleek mud walking away slowly from the bloody scene and out into the light of the streets. She watched him leave and saw his dazed face, specks of blood upon him he had this insane grin that stretched ear to ear it held a pallid expression.

Even though all this craziness was in the air she could not help but be fascinated by his ruby red eyes, she didn't know if it was the rain but he looked like he was crying.

- -

Liz glanced outside as she noticed the rain clouds forming she sighed and glanced toward her younger sister who was coloring at the moment. Keeping her self-busy whist drawing a picture, of what she had no clue. While Liz was busy, tapping her recently done manicure hands on the large dining room table. Waiting for Kid. Muttering curses about him underneath her breath, she got up to peek outside.

"Jeez he's such a kid, making me worry." She hissed to herself only for Patti to over hear her.

"He's not a kid." She sang to her in a childish voice, Liz rolled her eyes.

"Yes he is. He's younger than me, thus a kid."

"Am I a kid?"

"Yeah if your coloring with crayons at your age…"

"Maa, sister you don't mean it!" Patti said shocked and Liz shrugged her shoulders.

"Of course not…"

"YAY!" Liz sweat dropped.

"Anyways, Kid's just two year's younger than me and three years then you."

"No he isn't, he's four." Patti shook her head at her and Liz grumbled. "Whatever…like, I mean he left three hours ago!" Liz tried to complain to her younger sister but she wouldn't have any of it.

"Eh, he's probably chatting with Maka…" Patti enlightened with a cheery voice that made the older one slightly comforted. In the silence all that was heard was the scribbling of crayon's against paper before a deafening thunderclap shook the mansion making Liz jump up in fright.

"Okay that's it!" Liz yelled while running toward the door.

"SIS, where you going?"

"To look for Kid, that idiot should be at home right now, it's raining for Christ sakes…" She retorted while grabbing a raincoat and pulling it on.

"Wait, I'll come too!" Nodding she flung open the double wide oak doors and stepped out into the rain while waiting for Patti who came with an umbrella. The two prepared to leave when they saw a bundle of black at the foot of the steps. Curious they stepped down to look and Patti with the umbrella poke the thing to see if it would move. It did.

"AH!" Liz always jumpy clung to her little sister. "What is that?"

"I don't know, but it squishy…" Patti said entranced as she continued to poke the object. Liz leaned forward still clutching to Patti as she heard murmuring coming from the thing.

"Why 98? Why 98?" The voice echoed out to her, repeatedly. She immediately recognized the voice.

"Kid?"

"Why 98?" He screeched and she jumped backwards as she looked over the sight of him. His face all slack and wet as he was crying with snot coming from his nostrils, he held himself while he shook back and forth murmuring repeatedly the number 98.

"KID, WHAT THE HELL?" From behind her Patti started to laugh in mockery at the state of Kid who remained on the ground, convulsing.

"No…" He cried while clinging to himself.

"What's the matter…?" Liz bent forward in pity at Kid who was lying on the ground in the rain. She didn't know for how long.

"I…I walked and counted to 98…but it can't be! It's not perfect!" He wailed to her and she placed a hand upon his shoulder.

"98?" She murmured as he shook his head.

"It should be 99! Then one more step and it would be 100, symmetrical!" He whined and Liz face faulted.

"Wait…how long have you've been standing out here?" Liz asked as she could picture it now. Kid lying on the steps not moving forward all because if he did the numbers of steps he took to get here were suddenly…unsymmetrical. Such a Kid move…

"Two hours…" He moped and Liz brought a fist to his head knocking him out. His head rolled to the side as she bent forward to pick him up. Kid was such a stick; she had no trouble carrying him in her arms as she went back up the steps to their mansion. Patti opened the door for them while hiding a muffled laugh. The sight pure enjoyment for her.

- -

Both Black Star and Tsubaki agreed to go in search of Soul Eater. To see if he had decided on doing anything. Only for them to split up after an hour searching. They had told Nygus that they were looking for another companion that came with them on their journey. She allowed them to leave only saying that she wanted them back before eleven. Tsubaki had to say that the staff at Shibusen were all nice people.

Their hospitality they gave them made her soul brighten in hopes of a good school year at Shibusen. Which she had to say was a beautiful establishment she admired the many rooms.

It was two hours later now and still no sight of the elusive Soul Eater. Frankly, Tsubaki did not want to give up looking for him. She felt grim that they left him behind, she had a feeling she should have been more…forceful in getting him to come with them but he wanted to be by himself. Tsubaki felt his aura and it was one of brooding, she knew of his want to be by himself…he was such a lonely kid, that much could be said about him.

Sighing while she heard a large bang of thunder, she fell back into the cover of a building. Hiding from the downpour of rain, she looked out into the streets to see no one browsing about. Of course, who would? The rain suddenly came down in buckets. Hoping for it to be over soon, she noticed out of her direct vision someone walking down the street. She squinted to see if it could be Soul or Black Star to notice the figure slouching while dragging their feet.

She came out of the rain and approached the figure cautiously to see that it was a girl. Her eyes wide and dazed, Tsubaki ushered the girl out of the rain into her little cover of the building.

"Oh jeez, are you all right? The rain is really heavy you shouldn't be walking around in it." She murmured curiously while examining her. She spotted that the girl's eyes were staring at her hands and Tsubaki's vision turned to what the girl was staring at so fiercely.

"I think their hurt, I tried doing something…they won't move." The girl whispered to her and Tsubaki blinked as she saw red upon the girl's hands. Tsubaki tensed.

"Who?" She asked while looking around her seeing if someone was lying in the middle of the street. Where did this girl come from? She wondered.

"He did it, why did he do it though?" The girl's voice detained this eerie curiosity while she held the unyielding gaze upon her hands.

"Are you okay?" She asked her voice firm grabbing the girl by the shoulders and checking for any signs of wounds. The girl responded to her grip by shaking her head numbly.

"He didn't do anything wrong I don't think."

"Come on we have to go and tell someone…" Tsubaki placed her arms around the girl, ready to go to some sort of store or establishment to call for help, the girl was obviously traumatized.

"I can't, I won't tell on him." Tsubaki stopped and raised an eyebrow to the girl who gave a demented shake of her head, her braids coming lose from the rain.

"Okay you don't have to say anything let's just get somewhere warm." Tsubaki urged the hair on the back of her neck standing on end.

"He looked so sad."

Tsubaki gave a nod of her head as they entered back into the streets.

"I'll never say a word."

**Whenever I edit a chapter I just do a once over and get my sister to read over it too. So forgive any mistakes. Maybe later on I'll acquire a beta reader? Not now, I'm just concentrating on getting all this out. Anyways while looking at the Soul Eater archives I found out my story is the longest out there…I don't know if that is a Yay me thing or a, bah you loser. LOL.**

**Also about the chapter…I wonder if my character development is all over the place for Maka. I put up some barriers for her and I'm looking forward for her overcoming them and maybe then I'll feel that Maka is heading into the right direction or path and then there's Soul…that crazy bastard. I'll just leave him at that for now. ANYWAYS, hoped you enjoyed that chapter I have fun writing them.**


	10. An Uninteresting Event

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 10**

Everything was a daze; mislead conclusions and wall hitting musings he flopped to his backside staring toward the ceiling, a vague thought of where he was sifted in through his muddy thinking. Lethargic and sore he brought his body forward and saw his surroundings that were bare yellow walls and head splitting sun light. He glanced to the back of him to see a large window one that blinded him and sent him cowering under covers of a bed. He gave a moaned of displeasure while he calmed his shaking body, examining under the blankets the many bruises that adorned his pale skin.

Slithering out from the covers, he crawled to the door of the bedroom and opened it to peer out into a hallway, void of light. He pulled himself upright and came out and shutting the door, he fell against it. Letting his body adjust he opened ruby eyes, red in the retinas from lack of sleep. He question when he got back to the apartment. Glancing down at his attire he wore only his boxers and the rest of his clothes he remembered faintly tossing them off in the hallway.

He glanced to the side and there were his clothes, toss and strewn about he returned his foggy mind to his body littered with bruises and cuts. Ones he hadn't the faintest idea of how he had gotten them. There was also blood, lots of it on his arm. The arm he used to fight with whenever things got a little too heavy for him, his blade arm he would like to call it. This maybe made him worry a little bit at what he did last night.

What terrible things did he do that he had no recollection of such events? But most importantly of all, whose blood was on his arm?

- -

Her father told her she was in shock and she agreed when she woke up the next morning on the floor, a bruise probably forming on her thigh when she kicked herself out of bed. She remembered bits and parts of last night but more than anything, it was all a fast blur. When she closed her eyes images would flash across her mind and make her squirm in bed.

She had trouble sleeping. Now here she was on the floor after several hours of trying to sleep only to wake up when forcing her self out of a nightmare, one she had to kick out of, to jerk herself out of and onto the floor where she now remained. Shaking…and wanting to hit herself so badly.

She didn't know why she hadn't said anything about that boy she saw, why she kept his appearance to herself when asked about what happened. She knew he did it yet she felt an overwhelming pressure to not say anything, to remain quiet. Was it shock? Some sort of defense against him, was she scared? Of what? _Him_? Well anyone would be scared if they saw a boy come out of the alley looking like some mad person with blood soaking their trembling arms. _Anybody_ would be scared.

Yet she was only fascinated and that was what made her sick, that's what made her have nightmares…nightmares of what he did to those two boys. She wanted to _know_ what he did.

"Get a grip Maka…don't go crazy." She murmured while prompting herself up on her bed, clutching the sheets fiercely. Afraid she would fall back down. She yelped when she did. "Damnit!"

- -

He walked out of the shower, relaxed and clean of blood. Wrapping a towel around his torso he went to the mirror and rubbed away the steam produced from his hot shower. Glancing over at himself, he made faces sticking his tongue out at his image. He walked out of the bathroom and with a loud yawn gave a stretch. Bones cracking and muscles relaxed he gave a sigh.

"I feel so good right now…nothing can make me mad!" He declared bravely, announcing it to his empty apartment daring someone to turn his mood sour. Good thing no one did. He grinned triumphant and walked to the kitchen preparing something for him to eat. He glanced inside the fridge to see some milk, fruit, vegetables and an assortment of different foods.

That's when he realized that he never cooked a day in his life. So not wanting to burn the apartment down he settled for some milk and cereal, Arachne buying him this really sweet cereal that made his mouth twitch into a smile while he savored the stuff.

"Fruit Loops?" He wondered aloud, looking the cereal box over he shrugged while placing his dirty dishes into the sink. On the stove that he passed, the clock read 7:26 and with school not starting until 9:00 he wondered if he should just head to school early. To scout the place out, map it out for future uses. It seemed like a good plan so he went back to his room to pull on some clothes.

After being awake for the past hour his eyes were finally at ease with the sun's rays that he casually walked into the room and head for the closet. He didn't know why he felt in such a happy mood that he swore he could have started humming and not thought it stupid. He opened the closet's doors.

"Why hello…"

"AHH!" He slammed the door shut and stood rigid before it, questioning if his eyes were fooling him. Calm yourself Soul, he reassured himself and opened his closet's doors again.

"Um…" He slammed it shut again…maybe he was dreaming? He wondered while pinching himself. He opened it again.

"Soul…" He slammed it shut a third time. He wished he were dreaming.

"If you shut that door one more time…" He did and couldn't help snickering. Now on the other side of the door he felt killer intent that he slowly backed away telling himself if he ignored the little…_problem_ it would go away. Unfortunately it didn't.

"That's it!" The person hiding in his closet sent it flying off it's hinges and into the wall he immediately sauntered out of the room and shut the door again. Wondering if he was pushing his luck.

"SOUL EATER!" He probably was.

- -

Maka was getting ready dressing, even though school did not start for another hour. She always had this inane habit of waking herself up at 7:00 every morning even on weekends, her father told her it must be her internal clock or something, oh how she wished she could sleep in till noon even if her mind never did allow her. Pulling a yellow top over her white undershirt she glanced at herself in the mirror, stuck out her tongue at her image, and briskly strolled out of her room.

"Maka!" Her father said enthusiastic as always with a charming smile while he pushed a chair out for her. She gave a timid smile in return while sitting down across from him. A plate of food place out for her, she stared down at the bacon's and eggs and push them around rolling her eyes at the smile it formed. She turned the bacon's crust upside down. "How…are you?"

"Fine." She replied stabbing the yolk of the eggs. She reached across the table for ketchup and slathered it on making them scrabbled on her plate while she ate the bacon, tearing into it fiercely while her father watched her slightly scared she presumed while she started on the eggs.

"You sure sweetie…I mean with what happened last night…" He purposively didn't finish his sentence, probably wanting her to elaborate on the events of last night. Which she didn't, she just shrugged.

"I don't remember much at the moment so you don't have to be worried alright?" She offered kindly making her voice all sweet and daughterly that he gave a large smile.

"Well that's good that your okay. Do you need a ride to school?" He offered and she gave a shake of her head.

"Nah, I think I'll walk…the exercise will probably do me good, physically and mentally." She added while he nodded in agreement. Taking her finished plate and washing it in the sink. Sauntering back to her room to grab her notebook she glanced outside her window and prepared to walk to school.

- -

"Now, now Soul Eater why did you shut the door on me…five times, hmm?" Arachne asked her voice harsh and sweet to the ears while she stood before him…well below him he _was_ hanging on the ceiling.

"You know most people don't always want to see a face like yours this early in the morning…" He replied offhandedly while looking out the window ignoring her glares.

"I see and nobody wants to see that either." She motioned towards his towel that was slowly in danger of falling off him. He blushed.

"You'd be _surprised_." He murmured while she scoffed as she released her webbings holding him and he fell ten feet. "You know the neighbors probably don't appreciate all this ruckus!" He snarled while prompting his body up, making sure the towel stayed where it was suppose to stay.

"I'm sure they would have complained last night when you came home, leaving all those bloody hand prints on the wall…" She replied while stepping around him to glance outside.

"Eh?"

"Soul, Soul as much as I enjoyed your little episode last night you endangered yourself by releasing such insanity levels upon the area you fought in…well just be glad Auntie Arachne was here for you."

"What do you mean…what happened last night?" He questioned his mood suddenly serious while carefully watching the spider witch.

"Hmpth no recollection eh? Well here." She placed a slim hand upon his head and images flashed in his mind's eyes. For what felt like an eternity she released him and he fell backwards. A weird smile force on his face while his chest rose rapidly in and out. He shakily placed a hand to his mouth afraid laughter would leave him. "I can see why you did so; you've been stuck in that place ever since you were born, never aloud to have the fun that your soul yearned for but understand this. Jeopardize this mission and I'll show you true insanity, hmm?" She whispered while giving his head a shake he gave an involuntary chuckle.

"I didn't know that it could be like that…" He murmured the grin still on his face, oh how he wished to rip it off.

"You know this causes a problem for us. Shibusen knows that someone in their little city is on a rampage, or so they would think seeing the state those two boys were in and all." He didn't know his grin could go any wider. "So I'm providing you with a cover, a spell if you will."

"What's it suppose to do?"

"Hide your wave length from prying eyes so that if they do look upon your soul all they would see is just a simple soul. Not the tainted red it's becoming…" She whispered.

"My soul's red?"

"It's erratic and pulse's once and awhile but your going to be around Shibusen staff most of the day. We don't want them seeing anything that would cause you a first class trip to the Death God."

"What does red mean, how does a soul usually look?" He questioned everything becoming muddled for him.

"Well usually a good person's soul is a faint blue, boring yes but a tainted one is a reddish color, oddly beautiful. I prefer your soul red any how Soul even if dwindles between the two colors."

"Eh?"

"Never mind that! You my boy have your first day of school to worry about which is the reason why I have graced you with my presence."

"Yeah, um…school…" He murmured.

"Let's go back to your room."

"Let me get dress first lady!" He yelled not wanting her any where near him when he was still in a towel.

"Oh that's why I came Soul Eater to help you dress, now let's see something classy should do."

"What the hell lady you ain't helping me dress!"

"Oh Soul you have no say in this, I AM helping you get dress if you like it or not." Soul watched crazed while she did something with her hands, pulling him toward his room.

- -

An electronic song played vibrantly in her ears, a recent song she got from _Boom Boom Satellites_. She loved it and couldn't help but let her mood be risen from the song as she watched the vary passerby, it was early for other students to be heading to school so she had no doubt she would be one of the first to arrive at Shibusen, not that she cared.

- -

"I'm not wearing this, no way in hell. I would always wear this kind of set up at home, I rather be comfortable you get my drift witch?" He spat while shrugging in the coat.

"You have to make an impression on this girl and this makes you look a little classy got that?"

"Okay lady I'm going to ask you, WHO WEARS SUITS TO SCHOOL!?"

- -

"Ah, perfectly symmetrical in every way." Kid said breezily examining his closet. Eight tailor suits lined perfectly together in a row he sighed.

- -

"Only stiff's that's who." He scoffed trying to undo the red blood tie; Arachne practically choked him in when she put it on for him. He shuddered in the memory.

"No, people who get things done wear suits."

"Stiff's."

"Gentlemen." She hissed.

"Stiff's." He replied evenly.

"Do you honestly want to argue with me? You know where it got you last time." She pointed an index finger to the roof and he shuddered.

"Fine."

"Good now about that little spell…"

- -

Pausing in thought before the steps of the school, she let her eyes wandered upwards toward a light blue sky. Clouds obscuring the sun from her she gave out a relaxing sigh approached the steps and took them two at a time while she ran. She didn't know why she was in a hurry, nobody was waiting for her and she doubted today that anybody would be. Such a lonely place and what a haven it was for her even if it contradicted all reasoning's.

- -

The witch happened to be very nice to him today if he had to say. Nice in her own little psychotic way of course, but nice all the same. He could say that she provided assistance to his every day needs meaning that if he ever needed money he would only need to talk to a spider. Even as crazy as that sounds she told him that many of the tiny eight legged freaks were her minions and my God did her minions go far! He felt like chuckling.

Still she creep the hell out of him when she disappeared into a million of those tiny little arachnids, leaving his apartment and him with the heebies jeebies. Of course, while he casually walked to where his school was he had help getting there. When he left the front steps, of his apartment, a bulky limo came before him and he was ushered in. Now while walking up the large steps he admitted he might be the first at school but he didn't mind as he mused before he needed to scout the place. It would be absurd to go walking into enemy territory without knowing of it's interior and exterior.

Glancing up at the lumbering doors of the school, he knew he would have trouble finding his way around the place especially without a map. Then again, he could come to class late, _stylishly_ late. He gave a laugh while straightening his tie it fitted him perfectly now and he didn't mind walking around in the tux. He push back a lock of his silver hair in the dim lighting of Shibusen and strolled out of the foyer into a random hallway unknown to it's path and location.

Shibusen was a classy place for a school. The decorating modern with a deformed ancestry of death looming about the place. With high ceilings and wide hallways, he wondered how many students strolled down these very hallways, rather if Maka had.

_Maka_…

Strange, he thought that he would have to introduce himself to her. That he would need to get close to her actually he contemplated why her exactly. Such irrevocable thoughts always eluded his mind until now and while thinking of it he cautiously to himself wondered was this all plan? He didn't know how he came to such a conclusion maybe the deluded whispering in the far corners of his mind popped such a question. Then again how could it be all planned and why? Such musings were discarded as he reached the end of the hallway he was walking in. Glancing toward the door that stood before him he pushed against it to see if it would open and it did.

Jarring the door agape, he slid in guarded of the surroundings to see a vast music room. Peeking behind him to see if anyone was strolling about he closed the door becoming unnoticed that it was not fully closed. He step in to see it was dimly lit, all around him were lamps hanging against the dark purple walls and the curtains that hid large windows were pulled over leaving behind a black canopy, causing an eeriness to the room. Now he was presuming it to be a music room because in the corner was a grand piano, shimmering a listless black and making his fingers itch unwillingly.

He gave a slight exhale as he brought forward his hands and held them together. Suddenly the room becoming zapped of warmth and unconsciously he started forward toward the piano with intent unknown to him. He paused and glanced behind him while he sat down on the seat relaxing into the favored position he tenderly ran a finger down the keys listening to the notes he flimsily produced. A shaky sigh came over him as his chest heaved.

_Why was it so cold?_

Whispers overtook his mind telling him sweet nothings and of a place where everything was a warm feeling of nothingness. Only such things would arise if he played the keys, if he played with his heartstrings and began a tune on the piano. An instrument he hadn't touched in two months. Eyes dazed while they landed on the floor tiles, black and white a rhythmic arrangement on the cold ground below him he closed his red orbs.

_Why was he so tired?_

The feeling enveloped him and his senses. So maybe that's why he was distant to the sudden footsteps behind him. Head rolling to the side he cracked his tense neck, glanced to the side of him, and looked upon a wall of photographs. Odd shapes and sizes they littered the wall with old and new pictures, cracked and polished ones of faces. Faces that were happy and optimistic with some had their hands raised to a peace sign they made with their middle and index fingers. He gave a crooked smile back and caught a reflection of a face one he pictured secretly in his mind for days.

A shiver of excitement ran up his spine in pure joy as he straightened himself and with a grin, he pressed down on a note, G.

_Maka…_

- -

Black Star awoke very early and it was a habit of his to work out before he officially would go out for the day. Therefore, it wasn't pass Tsubaki why she would wake up late, it being 8:30.

"Black Star!" She yelled out while grabbing a towel and bathroom accessories. "I'm going to have a quick shower!" She hurriedly rushed to where the bathrooms were located. With her hair in a disarray and clothes sloppily falling off as she was wearing a tank. She pushed open the doors.

"Wait! I'll have one two!" She heard him yell but ignored him.

"Black Star go use the boy's bathrooms!" She retorted blushing, honestly having a shower together…she gave a shake of her head as she untangled the elastic and threw off her shirt.

"But I'm already in here…" He whined and Tsubaki turn around to see him standing behind her with a childish look on him. She face faulted.

"GET OUT, this is the girl's bathrooms, the boy's are down the hallway!" She tried to hide from him but he just followed her.

"COME ON, we always used to take bathes together when we were kids."

"THAT'S WHEN WE WERE KIDS!" She threw her soap at him, he fell backwards, and with a push, he was out the door. She slammed it shut.

"Tsubaki, my pants!"

- -

There he was…sitting on a piano bench with loose shoulders and head rolling side to side. From behind him, she stared toward his backside taking in his figure, lank and scrawny under a white pin stripe suit. He looked far better than he did yesterday she mused. A glimmer of light hit his shiny black shoes and everything about him seemed dark. The only thing that brightened up his whole visage was the snowy white hair. It strange on such a person. Her having never seeing such a candescence color vibrantly stand out against so much black. It was all intense and she couldn't form any words.

She just watched him unnoticed she presumed as she wondered what kind of person he was. Was he really crazy? Or could yesterday night be all a nightmare? A ridiculous conclusion she questioned why she was lying to herself, why she was trying to lie for him. She didn't even know him, did not know what kind of guy he was.

_Lonely._

That word was suddenly the conclusion to all her deliberation. Something whispered to her in the darkest part of her mind and which had hit her with all its meaning. Maybe that's why he was crying then again _was_ he? Questions she would never have answered unless she asked him much less if she could even try to talk to him. His very presence made her shaky and scared. Fingers gloved in leather white she pursed her lips and stopped at a sound that seemingly vibrated in the empty room filled with two souls. He had pressed down one of the piano's keys and straightened himself.

"I…" She began suddenly embarrassed.

"Shh…" He hushed out breezily the noise odd coming from him as he remained forward. She fidgeted and decided to remain quiet as she watched his movements while he pressed what she guessed was the same note again.

"This is what kind of guy I am."

- -

She showed some sort of indecisiveness while she approached him and she stared at him for a good minute without saying anything so he contemplated if she was going to jump him but no…she was scared it seemed and of what he had no clue. They hadn't meet yet and they haven't even said a word to one another. Maybe she was just the shy type he mused. Such a notion could work wonders if she was shy, just sweet talk her into becoming partners with him.

Only with a finally look back to her he realized that maybe she was so shy because she didn't know how to approach him. I mean he was just that cool and all; he mulled halfheartedly knowing he was joking to himself. How to break her out of her shell. For a second he thought and pressed down on the note again and as it slowly died, did he realize that music was something of the soul. It brought out some rather relaxed symptom to people. It made a party lively depending on the mood and it made someone sleepy depending on the tone. It could even make one comfortable enough to talk.

"This is what kind of guy I am." He lifted his fingers, played a couple of notes, and found a rhythm, a sort of hidden song hiding behind the keys and his hands searched to play them. With that beginning, a song came to fruition. His emotions spilling uncontrollably out and into the piano's keys did they slowly connect while he dared to play with his very own heartstrings. They tore into him and a sickening feeling that would cause ones heart to break only made him euphorically reach for it wanting it to fill his bones his very well-being. Mere shadow's dance in the room and enveloped around him as he created a tune of heart and bones.

Memories flashed in his mind's eyes as he played and the longer he played the deeper the emotions became and it made everything around him a surreal glow. He was playing out his emotions, he was telling them in a song. One that the girl, entranced behind him may well never understand. One that he hoped no one could _ever_ understand. The rips and tears mended and the notes played to a finish. His soul gave a cry with the last note dying in the now ethereal room. His heart closed up again and he turned to face the girl who wavered behind him.

He grinned in merriment at her lost look as her eyes came into focus on him. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, stood up, and placed out his hand.

"Soul." He murmured bright red orbs connecting to even brighter green eyes the irony of such mirror's as she glanced down to his hand.

"Maka." She placed her hand forward and clasped onto his fingers and with a shake of unified hands he let slip a grin of insane proportions. He realized his mistake when she flinched.

**- -**

**FINALLY! Say hi everyone! LOL, ah what a place to end it eh? Well I like where I left it and hope you enjoyed I had some nice inspiration from Deftones, Anniversary of an Uninteresting Event for the piano part and I think I did well with it, what do you guys say?**

**One more thing I have no knowledge of the piano what so ever so I hope I did well with it.**


	11. When you talk, I listen

**I'm really curious, oh so curious so I request for everyone who finishes this chapter to review. **_**Everyone**_**. Don't give me an excuse like let's say that your sister's baby brother girlfriends, half sister's, aunt whose niece is having a baby who in the end turns out your it's godmother/godfather whatever and that's why you didn't review because I used it once and nobody can use it again cuz you know, I'd already did, so…HAH!**

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 11**

She suddenly pulled her hand away from his and he stiffened the smile, let it drop as he back up to lean against the piano, and folded his arms, he wondered why she abruptly pulled her hand from his. He gave a shake of his head while his head rolled to his side. Meanwhile she placed the hand he shook with behind her head and looked off to the side. Maybe she was suddenly afraid of his grin. Such a notion made one appear on his face while he looked at her.

It could be safe to say that she was maybe slightly distracted by it so maybe if he showed it more she would come to see it as a natural thing for him to do, well he hope she would see it like that. Hands pressed into his jacket pockets he turned crimson eyes back to hers as she gave a slight laugh.

"It's nice to meet you Soul um…"

"New?" He questioned and she slightly paused while glancing at him.

"Huh?"

"Are you new too or do you know where, where is, in this massive school?" He asked nonchalant giving her another grin that made her slightly less tense he guessed as her shoulders gave a shrug.

"Heh, yeah I guess you can say that…why are you lost?" She asked a timid smile coming to her that made Soul grin a little more the tips of his lips inching further apart.

"You can say that…" He murmured while pressing down on the keys of the piano letting the notes drift between them.

"You can say that? Heh, aren't you mysterious." She trifled and he let his shoulders shrug in response as he approached her.

"And you seem pretty nice." He replied breezily while standing just only a foot away from her, sizing her up and he noted that yeah, he was taller than she was. If he didn't slouch of course. She also looked exactly like the hologram he saw of her before, celery green eyes and light blonde hair hanging down in pigtails. A round face small and somewhat cute if he had to say and if he had to admit too, she looked like a girl. Well, what he meant was that she looked…innocent. No dangers were hidden in those green eyes of hers. She was innocent and if he had some sort of conscience to speak of, he would be feeling bad right now.

But he liked to lie and say he didn't have one so he brush past her letting the slight touch of their shoulders happen and strolled toward the door and push it open allowing light to hit them both and the room that was dark with hidden feelings be forgotten as he turned his attention back to her dazed face.

"Since you seem so nice, mind giving me a tour?" A glint of something wicked appeared in his eyes that if the girl were smart enough to look for would have seen in his vacant orbs of deceit. However, she had no clue of who he was and his intentions so she didn't know that right then and there she should have ran.

- -

She didn't want to admit that this person standing beside her looking at her with such curious eyes that usually she would of hated was actually intriguing. In the weird sort of way. She remembered faintly the feelings that stirred in her soul when he played that dark, strange song. How she saw past the image of the boy in the rain and only of the one standing now beside her in the black and pin stripe white suit. With his shadowed eyes and red orbs of crimson, he walked with her. A person of contradictions in her mind. She tried to begin on trying to figure out who he was.

Only where to begin? Okay she did hear his song but was he saying he was a strange, dark person? Maybe his appearance was but was his persona? Now she figured his personality as very cocky and slight charming, he was nice to her and said things that usually would make her blush. But coming from him with that wide grin she could only scoff and the look he gave after was just another nonchalant grin, as if he was always fooling. He was confusing she finally admitted while they stopped to look toward the tall doors of Shinigami's office.

"Have you met Shinigami yet?"

"The Death God? No can't say I have."

"It's either yes or no…and trust me if you did meet him you would know." She laughed while they continued walking.

"Is he scary or something?" He mused with a grin one that if she had to mention took a while to get used to seeing.

"No…he's eccentric but scary? No." She knew Shinigami since she was a little kid and never thought of him as scary, funny but never scary.

"Ah…that's good." His lips parted in a sigh.

"Why would it be good?" She questioned while they started down the stairs. He only shrugged. "Okay…well anyways what classroom do you have?" He stopped on the steps and gave her a look like he didn't know. "You don't know?" He nodded. "Well class starts soon we should go to the lobby and maybe ask the front desk. They should have the information for you." She replied merrily skipping down the rest of the steps.

He followed right after her.

- -

"You think we would be late."

"But were not."

"You think we wouldn't know where to go."

"But we do."

"You think I would be scared."

"But you got me." Black Star murmured giving her a playful smirk while they approached the doors to their classroom. She just sighed pleasantly and in appreciation to his childish attitude that when they entered the room together she was lost at how loud he had to announce their presence.

"Black Star!" She hissed blushing at all the faces turning to look at them.

"As you heard…my name is the great Black Star! If you guys want autographs you have to come and ask, but…I'll be glad to hand them out to you!" He yelled at the top of his lungs that she wanted to go curl up and hide somewhere. The class just looked at him probably questioning if he was serious but after a few more minutes of him just posing. They all ignored him. "Huh…guess their not ready for my shining self eh, Tsubaki?" Black Star turned around to see Tsubaki gone and walking forward toward the many desks scattered on a platform going upwards. He quickly followed her. "Tsubaki!"

- -

"EH, you have class with me?"

"You don't sound enthused." He joked while taking the sheet of paper and examining it. In the corner, he noticed a strange abstract drawing of what he thought were a spider web and an eye winking up at him. He sweat dropped.

"I'm just surprised." She murmured as she began to walk ahead of him. He followed with a curious stride keeping to her pace.

"Yeah…so what type are you?"

"Excuse me?" She stopped to face him.

"I'm a Weapon." He replied jutting out his hand to slick back his hair he gave her a wide mouth grin, sharp jagged teeth capture her vision for a moment.

"Meister." She answered back coolly while walking again.

"Have a partner?" He asked casually.

"No…" She started as this time she started to follow him.

"Why?" It was a simple question and one she should have replied honestly but her face contorted into something of annoyance. He was slightly confused while she sped up her steps and stalked off before him he now following her. Did he offend her? "Um sorry just that I…" He suddenly found himself struggling.

"No, please don't apologize I…hmm…" She paused to look at him. "Do you know who I am?"

"No." He lied.

"Really? Oh well…maybe that's why your…talking to me." She started sounding confused. Therefore, Arachne wasn't lying when she made rumors up about the girl.

"Hmpth like I would listen to rumors." He murmured aloud to himself but she heard him.

"Wait so you've heard them?" Her face became slightly heated as it turned a tinge of pink.

"No."

"But…" She awkwardly looked at him.

"Uh…yeah?" He didn't know why he said yes.

"So you did."

"No." He also didn't know why he said no.

"Then why did you say rumors?"

"Okay I heard of some." He was getting tongue-tied.

"So your lying…you have heard them!" She suddenly sounded ashamed.

"WELL, I…" Why did he mention the rumors? Everything was going so well.

"Do you believe them?" She questioned and he sweat dropped. He never even HEARD the rumors themselves, he heard OF them but not what was SAID. He tugged at his tie.

"No."

"How could people say such awful things right?" She whispered to him.

"I don't know…" He decided to reassure her, he was getting himself in deep if they kept on talking about the rumors…even though…he didn't know what the rumors were about. Well…he knew they were of _her_ but what was said. He had no clue. He watched as she held herself.

I mean what would a girl say about another girl to get the girl being talked about to not get…a partner. God he was confusing himself. He watched her tiny body shrink in on itself while she shook her head.

Would they say something about the way she looked? He wondered and then again, they were girls so maybe if he comforted on her looks she wouldn't be so…sad looking. Suddenly beaming he grinned.

"Their not true you know." She stated and he gave a nod.

"I know I mean your tits aren't that small."

It suddenly got _real_ quiet…

- -

How was he supposed to know that they weren't talking about her body? What would any one talk about when it concern something like…rumors? The type of person she was? Yeah right!

He stalked into the room with a bright red handprint to his face and meanwhile she was heading up the stairs of where the desks were located while everyone stared at them. He ignored the looks as he was suddenly yelled at by a ridiculously annoying, loud, and boisterous voice.

"Black star…" He murmured as the boy waved him to where he was sitting with Tsubaki who was slouched slightly from what he thought as embarrassment.

"And who might you be?" Soul turned to whom he figured the authority figure and he abruptly looked him over. An older male with black hair and a broad figure the guy had baggy clothes and looked nothing like a teacher but…he did have an aura that demanded respect so he complied.

"Soul." He paused forgetting what his last name was, well what he went by. There was no way that Arachne would actually let him use his actually last name that one would cause up a stir.

"Soul…Eater? Interesting last name." He pointed out and Soul gave a raise of his eyebrows, Soul Eater? Really? He scoffed and the teacher looked up immediately at him.

"Ahem…yeah Soul Eater." He drawled.

"Well we got two more new students and since you've arrived late while they were introducing themselves…" He glanced at Black Star who gave him a thumbs up and he rolled his eyes. "You can go about that now. Well since most know your name, tell your dislikes and likes and what you want to do in the future, will you now, Soul?" With a nod, he turned back toward the class.

"Like…" He glanced back toward their teacher.

"Sid Barett." The taller man replied with a simple gesture.

"Our teacher, Sid told you, my name is Soul Eater. I dislike…" He paused and looked at Black Star. "I like…" He glanced at Tsubaki. "I want…" His eyes landed on Maka who was looking away from him with a stubborn look on her pink face. He sighed.

"Well…that's interesting…" Sid started and the whole class looked confused. "So Soul are you a weapon or Meister?" Soul glanced to his feet as if they suddenly were the most interesting thing in the world…oh their was a smudge on his shoe…

"I'm a tool…" In more ways than one. He left the front of the classroom with snickers following him as he found a seat next to Black Star.

- -

So most of the day continued with little interference for Soul was stuck with hanging out with Black Star, which he didn't mind as much as he usually would and with Maka concerned he noticed that Tsubaki went to hang out with her; it seemed that the two knew each other. So because Maka wanted nothing to do with him he dwindled in the company of Black Star.

Shit.

Great Soul, just great! He thought idly while drawing random doodles on a piece of loose leaf. It was random shit that if anyone looked at would probably have no clue what he was drawing. So while he droned out what his new teacher was saying to the class he thought over what he should do. She was mad at him so all he needed to do was go and apologize. Only there was a problem…he sucked at apologizing and she'd probably hit him again if he tried.

I mean that book came out of nowhere! He rubbed his head in memory and placed his pencil down. It was nearing the end of the day and a lot of people seemed to be interested in him or maybe it was all the yelling Black Star was doing. He hadn't the faintest idea as to why the kid cried for attention. He looked at the guy from the corner of his eye.

"No idea what so ever…" He lied.

- -

She made a new friend one that never heard any of the rumors and she was a girl named Tsubaki who she had the pleasure of meeting last night in the rain. It was a little awkward when she came over to greet her but Tsubaki was a good-natured person and they got along really well.

Before Tsubaki came she met another person who she thought she could be friends with but…he was a jerk. She was sure of it. Kid warned her and she was glad that she took his advice. I mean honestly what a…pervert. She finalized with a huff even though the faint traces of his song left a large imprint on her soul. Well…he was just a dark, strange, perverted jerk. That's what he was. Even though it looked like he had some form of huge regret upon his shoulders.

She watched as he left the school, slightly hunch and completely oblivious of the loud boy who was Tsubaki's partner, Black Star, yelling behind him. Probably good-bye. Black Star was also oblivious at all the stares he was getting. She paused and Black Star did likewise and finally notice all the people staring at him. He immediately started yelling, _again_. The guy seemed like a moron to her but was Tsubaki's partner and the two seemingly got along real well. So well in fact that she was a little jealous.

She wanted a bond like that with someone and that only someone was leaving the school grounds with an emotionless stiff back facing her. He was an okay guy until he said that comment about her breasts. She shifted uncomfortably and held her arms over her chest.

"Perv…" She murmured as she prepared herself to leave the school.

- -

A ghost of a chill ran up his spine as he entered his apartment. He couldn't help remember the comment he had made on her assets and felt like slamming the door on his hand…or head either one would do. Settling for just knocking his cranium against the door he shrugged inwards and shut the door with a kick of his foot. Taking off his coat and tossing it on the floor because at the moment his apartment was empty with only the essentials. Which were crammed into the cozy dwelling.

Arachne mentioned that if he wanted anything all he needed to do was go talk to a spider. Well, such a whim was crazy in his standards so he went to his room which was the only room that had furniture in it, besides the kitchen which had a table and stools located in it. Meanwhile in his room it had a nice bed one he collapsed into and fell into a dreamless sleep.

He awoke two hours later, his dress shirt rumpled and his shoes still on he kicked them off and wipe away the drool that came from his mouth with annoyance. Groggily sitting upright in the bed he glanced outside to see the sun setting and with a stretch he went to go change into some relaxing clothes.

After he did he felt really alert and not anymore sleepy so what was left for him to do at home? He didn't have any homework with it being his first day and him not really a homework guy. He decided to make supper. After a few minutes of deciding what to eat…he settled for something safe and ate fruit loops again. They were good so he didn't mind.

Then he just sat there, alone in his tiny apartment and for some reason with all the lights off.

Alone.

"This is really depressing…" He murmured to his lonely self and empty apartment that he couldn't help but jump when someone replied back.

"Then go out." He wasn't surprised when he turned to see who it was.

"Do you always pop up when not wanted?" He sneered turning away from her while grabbing his dirty dishes.

"Little liar…who couldn't keep his mouth shut. You should have just concerned yourself with being nice to her…not trying to make her feel better and besides your way is still ridiculous." She retorted her voice suddenly congeal in length.

"Shut up! You know you didn't have to spread rumors about her." He growled it coming deep from within him.

"And you didn't have to conclude such rumors are about her appearance! I'm not as callous as that." The witch appeared from the shadows still as deadly as ever with her hair up in a bun held together by a black web of jewelry. The woman's taste ludicrous nonsense of irony as she wore just about everything that could deal with spiders. The woman had a terrible fetish for spiders he assumed. He ignored her while he started on his supper and morning dishes, nothing but two bowls.

The symbolism slightly forlorn as he quickly finished with them, placing them away.

"Your still here? Go away." He said heatedly while watching as she slunk around the table to meet him.

"I'm here to help you and I've got just the thing."

"If you could go back in time that'd be wonderful." He replied with a fake sonance of exuberant cheerfulness. One that got the woman seething.

"Hmpth…just listen brat. That girl is out and about and there happens to be a dark presence stalking the city. If you don't hurry she might meet this unfortunate visitor of demonic origin."

"Demonic origin? How would you know?"

"My spider's see all for they are scattered all across this void planet. Remember?" She chided him giving a pat to his shoulder. He stepped back.

"Are you the cause of this unfortunate presence?" He asked crossly not trusting her one-bit.

"No they are both such filthy creatures…ones that have been easily manipulated to do a certain someone's doing."

"Sounds like you." He replied giving a lopsided smirk as she swiped at him.

"Just hurry up or she'll be in pieces before you get to her." At her words Soul got up and ran to the door pulling on his shoes. "Be careful, these two are amusing experiments…give me a nice show." She disappeared in a trail of spiders as he left the apartment with his door a jar.

- -

Maka had just recently finished talking with Kid. He told her many interesting things and one thing in particular stood out among the rest.

_People deserve chances and what I've heard about this Soul character…maybe a second chance could be a new beginning for the both of you._

He was basically saying that maybe a partnership with Soul would be beneficial for them both. She admitted that he _had_ been on her mind all day and before he made that remark about her…he was very kind to her. He also was mentioning or leading on she had no clue…that he maybe wanted to be a partner with her. Well it seemed like that was where he was going.

Only she felt bad for hitting him on the head with her book. Of course it was a simple thwack and he did deserve it. She hummed slightly to herself wondering if Kid would agree to her being partners with Soul if he knew about last night.

Probably not.

Good thing she decided she wasn't going to tell anyone about what happened last night. Only question why though? Admitting slightly she wanted to get to know him more she stared upwards toward the sky. Yeah that's why she didn't tell anyone and never planned on doing so. Why punish him for something that could have be self-defense? He didn't seem like the type to go crazy without a reason; he was a pervert not a maniac. She concluded half-heartedly. Her reasoning's beyond her. She always cited herself as the logical type and nothing about her thoughts on Soul…Eater was logical. Then again it could really just be simple. He was two-face. However, because he was, would she want that kind of partner? She sighed. It was getting late and not wanting to strain her mind anymore on the topic she left straight for home. Only for her to cross paths with two people blocking her way.

"Sorry…" She murmured trying her best to go around the two only they keep side stepping in her way. Well the taller and more broader of the two did. She stopped. "Do you need something?" She questioned slightly ticked. She needed to get home, her father was going to be so worried…okay he was always worried but still she needed to get home before dark.

Worriedly she looked behind her to notice as the street lights started to come on, it was already dark.

Great.

"Were going to play with you girly." She raised a brow at the sly voice of the one before her. The guy had black hair with a loose strand of white jutting out near the top his hair with many spikes going all directions.

"If you don't move you'll regret it." She informed them a chill running up her spine as the big guy moved closer to her even after her threat.

"Don't…were only suppose to be scouting Death City…" A tiny voice loomed behind the guy in front of her; he simply gave out a bark of laughter.

"Don't be such a whiny bitch…no one will miss this one. Anyways…I'm hungry!" He retorted.

"But…"

"Shut up, only this one!" Before she only saw the top of his head and the rest of his body in the shadows and when he came into the light she shrunk back a bit more.

He stood before her with a good two feet on him and wore a black muscle shirt that was covered with a black leather jacket rippled with chains and pockets that probably went nowhere. With large spikes on his broad shoulders and a belt longer than need be held up skinny jeans that had rips and tears in them. He walked about with heavy iron tip boots that probably was the reason for him being so tall. What was the most striking thing about him was the large X located on his face. A deep scar made his dark eyes, a striking blue more vibrant as if X's were located in the mist of them.

She watched while his eyes landed on hers and as if locked to her own eyes and suddenly she became a target with his X's lock onto her.

"Ragnarok…" The other figure materialized beside the tall boy. A lankier one that wore a simple black dress. The person held themselves with one arm while the other was placed upwards against the boy's other arm as if to hold him back.

"You're going to help or are you just going to watch, huh, HUH?" The person flinched and gave a shake of their head with hair a dull pink hue. Eyes connected with her own scared ones and she saw this bored, dull soul, not wanting any sort of fight. Only for them to comply willingly with a lethargic shake of their head. "Good little Chrona…" The boy hissed out as he disappeared into a black fog that whiled into the air and transformed into a large black sword.

"No hard feelings Miss…" With a raise of an arm, the person attacked in a flurry of fast-paced steps.

- -

**LOL, WUT?**

**So…Chrona and Ragnarok? Ragnarok and Chrona? Ragnarok as a human? WTF? LOL But you know I have my reasons and you know…this is AU!! LOL**

**Oh, ha, ha, ha, ha…**


	12. I'll treat you well

**The newly edited Chapter 12 by my beta Kalasad! I'll give her a proper introduction next chapter, enjoy.**

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 12**

Kid whistled a tune he had heard from many years ago but from whom, he had no clue. Still, it was a nice tune; one he whistled along to as he walked the streets. For Kid he had always found it his duty to stroll around Death City to keep an eye on the inhabitants, and because Liz was always complaining that, they didn't go out much.

"This is not 'going out'," He heard her muttered to herself with arms folded over her chest. He laughed.

"Yes, this would classify as 'going out'. We are not in the house, so therefore we are out of the house which in turn means we are going out," Kid replied, brushing off imaginary germs on his coat. Liz snorted back in return, ready with a retort. But all of a sudden Patti started to sing, and Kid busied himself in what Patti was doing and ignored Liz.

"Kid, Kid! You're not listening to me!" Liz whined.

"I know I'm not," he snickered to himself while linking arms with Patti, the slightly older girl giving out comical laughs becoming louder than her older sister. Who chased after them.

- -

"Black Star, we don't even know where he lives..." Tsubaki said worryingly, glancing around the neighborhood Black Star dragged her into. The place had large apartments surrounding this sector of the city and she doubted that they could find Soul without an address.

"Well, you may not, but I do," Black Star replied loudly, thudding his chest and standing more erect.

"You do?" Tsubaki asked incredulously, not believing him.

"Yeah, he gave me his apartment number at school." Tsubaki paused at this newly obtained knowledge and gave Black Star a dull look before just shaking her head at him.

"You could have told me you had his apartment number Black Star."

"Why?"

"Well…"

"I wouldn't take you any where without knowing where to go, duh Tsubaki!" he chided her, Tsubaki blushing a little before nodding.

"We're close by, too!" Black Star ran ahead of his partner, turning a corner and leaving her behind. Giving a huff, she followed after him.

- -

Soul ran and ran without a clue as to where he was heading, then he paused to catch a breather. Bending forward on his heels and prompting himself up with his hands on his knees, he launched forward again. Soul took off in a random direction with only his gut telling him where to go and passed by many buildings. As he did, the lamps in the streets slowly lit up one at a time, strangely lighting a path for him to follow as he felt he was nearing his destination; the destination of where his gut was taking him.

What irony that he was following his gut or maybe it was his instincts? Whatever it was, Soul felt something urging him on, and even though he felt the need to collapse against a wall to sit down for a bit, he still pushed forward. He turned down the last street just as the grinning mad sun disappeared and the city was engulfed by the glow of the bleeding moon.

The moon laughed at the predicament Soul was in, who stared down the street to see two figures; both were small with thin silhouettes covered by the darkness as they were hidden in. He noticed something glinted off in the distance as a large object held by the one closest to him. It was a sword. Soul swore while he ran toward the scene, watching as the person wielding the sharp blade brought it down on the other, only for the attacker to go falling backwards and land unceremoniously on their back.

Nearing the scene, Soul brought out his right arm and transformed it into a long black blade of a scythe with red hitching up and down its form and prepared for a sneak attack. Even with his fast, hurried pace, Soul stealthily came upon his victim and raised his transformed arm, ready to bring it down upon the person's shoulder.

"Chrona!" a voice rasped out. Suddenly metal was met with metal, and the situation quickly turned into a battle for dominance. Soul stood his ground as he met eye to eye with the wielder, a scared-looking kid with odd dull pink hair.

"Who are you?" the opposing Meister and Weapon asked. Soul smirked and ignored them, looking past the kid to see Maka sprawled out on the ground. Breathing hitched and eyes wide, he looked her up and down and noticed the sweater she was wearing… and the hood attached to it, giving a chuckle.

"Getting in trouble again, eh? I always seem to find you attracting the worst kind of attention," he murmured to Maka, snapping her out of her trance.

"S-Soul?"

"Shh… I'm supposed to be the cool guy with no name." Soul winked before propelling his opponent backwards. He followed after him, and with a quick jab to the stomach Soul got the kid to back further away from Maka. Soul took the chance and stopped by the girl.

"Come on." With his free hand, he offered it to her as he brought her upwards and placed her behind him.

"What are you doing here?" She questioned into his ear. Soul shrugged.

"Was out for a stroll and saw a commotion happening down the street. Don't you know? It's always been my luck to find creeps like him running around."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Maka asked, sounding befuddled.

"It means what it means, that's what. You should have seen the creeps I came across last night… following some oblivious girl home while she listened to her headphones." He murmured nonchalantly as he felt her stiffen behind him. He let out a breath of air between his parted lips before they formed a large grin.

"That means--"

"HEY! They're ignoring us, Chrona!" Soul looked back towards his opponent at the loud sudden comment and quirked an eyebrow.

"That sword is a weapon, Soul… it's not anyone I've ever seen before though." Maka supplied her companion and he formed an 'oh' sound.

"How fun…" Soul murmured.

"Ragnarok… we should leave…" the Wielder whispered in a dragged out voice.

"Shut up! I'm not some weakling, you know! I'll kick their asses and..." Large red lips had appeared on the blade of the black sword and started an argument with his partner. Because of his curiosity at such nature, Soul relaxed his guard, and then turned to Maka.

"Let's go… I've never protected someone else before you know, since it's always just been me. I don't know if I'll be able to protect us both, so while Twiddle dumb and Tweedle Dee fight over there, we should make our escape." Taking the 'damsel in distress' by the hand, the couple slowly started to back away from the other two, both the Weapon and Meister oblivious as they made their leave.

"Look, those chicken shits are running away!" Soul swore as he started to run, pulling Maka along by the hand.

"Stay close," he murmured as they flew down the street.

"Chrona," the weapon commanded.

"Please, not here, Ragnarok--"

"NOW!" The shy kid gave a sigh, pulled back the sword, and with a swish he brought it down as a loud battle cry was heard.

"SOUL RESONANCE" They yelled out and it sent down a crying scream. The screeching noise caused the bottom of Soul and Maka's stomachs to flip as they fell, unbalanced by the sudden insanity that enveloped their bodies. It suddenly made everything blindingly bright to Soul, so much that he felt slightly off but not enough for the screeching to make him incapable of defending himself. So with a swift push of his arm, he brought forward his legs and squatted low to the ground as the screaming continued.

He eyed Maka who was cringing on the ground with her hands over her ears. Maka striked him as the lone, solitary type in which Soul meant that such reckless violence was not a factor for her; she most likely lived a very guarded life with her being the Death Scythe's daughter. Everything that was happening around her was not a matter that she had ever dealt with before, and all this violence and fearing for her life was no doubt an experience she had yet to acquire.

Sprinting to her side, Soul picked her up and led her out of the screeching path of the insanely loud sword, bringing them to an alley that unfortunately wouldn't provide cover for too long.

"Look, I'll lead it off and you get yourself to safety, got it?" he whispered fast into her ear while grasping her shoulders. She gave a curt nod as Soul spotted the swordsman preparing an assault.

"Go!" Soul urged, swinging Maka around and pushing her away from him by the shoulders.

"W-wait! They're after me, not you!" Maka called back.

"Well, I just have to get their attention now, won't I?" With a crazed smirk, Soul turned to face the two attackers as they ran at him.

"Move it kid, what we want is the girl!" he heard a voice shout from within the confines of the black sword. Soul gave a casual grin.

"Oh, but you'll find that I'm so much more delicious." Soul began running to meet them head on.

"Is he an idiot!? He has no weapon!" The sword yelled again in a booming voice. Soul prepared to clash with the Meister who, with an impassive face, lifted the large sword to bring it down on Soul's head.

"Die," was the only word he heard before Soul sidestepped and went under the highly-aimed cut, moments before it would slash his heart. The wielder was caught off guard at his opponent's swiftness as Soul stood only an inch away from his face before pulling away. Managing to place his body right behind theirs, Soul carefully grabbed the back of the black clothing of the person and yanked it ALL the way upwards, right over their head.

In the process, a scream echoed underneath the fabric before Soul realized something. This person was a girl, not a boy as he had always suspected. Soul might have felt bad and maybe a little ashamed for his actions, but the girl WAS trying to kill him… though all and all, it was still pretty funny.

"Lilac purple matches your complexion." The girl gave out a cry while angry tears filled the rims of her eyes.

"Ha ha! Chrona, he got you good!"

"R-Ragnarok…" The girl muttered her eyes suddenly so wide and filled with emotion that all Soul could do was smirk.

"I see that I've gotten your attention."

- -

Maka ran down the alleyway and kept on running until she felt that she was at a safe distance from the fray happening behind her. Taking shelter underneath a crippling old building, she gathered herself and stopped to purge in some air. Once she felt stable enough to go on Maka began to run again, searching for help. For some reason or another though, the streets were empty. It was void of life, and for that fact, it scared her.

Where is everyone?

Stopping in the middle of the street, Maka glanced upwards toward the maniacal moon. It felt like its eyes stared down directly at her, and Maka couldn't help the goose bumps that overcame her. Those eyes reminded her of that Meister, his eyes were so dead and lifeless that shivers went down her spine in memory of looking into them. It was as if he was some sort of lifeless doll doing the bidding to its master, who would be his weapon counterpart, the tall punk with spiky black hair and a scar that ran across the middle of his already frightening features.

"Damn it…" Maka felt really pathetic right now. She left Soul to fight off those two insane people all by himself. Well, it wasn't as if she could do much, but the point was that she didn't do anything. Maka clenched her gloved hands in defeat.

Without a warning she heard a loud crash as if something was collapsing and looking toward the rooftops Maka noticed a cloud of dust surfacing above the ledges of the building to the left of her. She then knew that whatever happened, Soul was in some serious trouble. Especially if they could manage to knock over an entire building!

"Screw this!" Maka stomped her foot and took off towards the rubble.

- -

"Holy hell, you're pretty pissed right now, aren't you?" Soul mocked, dodging the thrust of the black tipped sword with _pliant_ease. Soul counted his steps in a processed manner so that he could easily avoid the onslaught of stabs, making the girl angrier thus making her movements sloppier. Now Soul would have been close enough to get his head cut clear off, but he dodged the girl's rigid and lethargic movements with precise, lucid steps creating enough rift between them that he was comfortable. Obviously though she was not.

"Hurry up, Chrona! We don't have all day!" The weapon distracted the said girl, causing her to do a clear swipe at Soul, making her go in a circle as the large weapon took her for a spin. Soul just as easily maneuvered his body out of the range of his attacker's horrible aim.

"Well this has been lovely, but I have to go now…" Wanting to just leave and search for Maka, Soul allowed himself to let his guard down for the tiniest moment to glance upwards towards the sky. Oblivious to the fact that a sword was coming his way and was preparing to slice at him again. Of course, when the girl did actually manage to make a precise stab toward his torso, Soul carelessly backed up and lost count of his steps, his number of steps suddenly going from fourteen to seventeen in only a few seconds. Soul clumsily tripped over his own feet, landing in a heap before the girl. She raised her sword above her head with precarious eyes, glossy and wide, and brought it down. All Soul could do was bring his arm upwards in a vague attempt to block it.

In a matter of moments, the scythe felt an unknown force shove into him. It wasn't the sharp edge of a sword, and if Soul had to guess, it was some sort of large blunt object. Soul tossed himself over and suddenly started to roll, for he had tripped off a very large, steep ramp of hard stone stairs. Soul only had enough time to see that the force that had rammed into him was a girl with a boney limbs and blond hair.

Maka had just saved Soul from getting his head chopped off. But in exchange she earned him a couple of very nasty bruises as the two of them spun downwards, hitting jutting steps of rock solid stairs. Soul, trying to shield his 'heroine', landed against the dangerous steps, painfully cracking his bones in the process. When the long flight of painful stairs finally ended, they both laid sprawled across on their backs. Soul felt as if his ribs were cracked wide open as he forced air into his lungs. An agonizing try to sit upwards made his arm protest with vibrating shakes of pain shooting up and down his shoulder to elbow.

"You should have pushed that Meister down the stairs instead…" Soul whined as he ignored his bruised body's screams of pain and propped himself upwards.

"Sorry, I didn't think, I just…reacted," Maka responded meekly, rubbing at her arms as if admiring the many scrapes splattered about her pale skin. She held her arm close while shutting her green eyes shut and gave out a moan.

"Damn, I should have just let you get your head cut off…" Soul gave a little chuckle in response, finding the notion amusing.

"That would have been a nice sight." Maka gave him a blunt look as they both glanced upwards toward the two who stared at them.

"That wasn't funny at all…" the black sword murmured.

"Hmm…" The pink-haired girl stood as her right arm was placed across her chest while her stance was slouched. She held herself as her eyes retained a passive look. "I think we should go now…." she drawled, starting to retreat.

"WHAT? Look at them! They're basically ready for the pickings! It'll be quick!" With a sigh, the Meister obediently jumped over the stairs and, as if she was gliding, landed gracefully in front of Maka and Soul. With a raised arm the girl swung her sword at them, her movements much more precise as if their little fall had snapped her out of her reverie. Barely dodging the attack, Soul felt the atmosphere take on a much more serious tone. The scythe turned towards his companion.

"Let's go, Maka."

- -

"So this is his apartment?" Tsubaki questioned as she was ushered towards the front steps of a large apartment complex.

"Yeah! Sweet digs eh?" Black Star shouted behind her.

"Uh, Black Star, we need keys to enter. Or else we have to press one of these buttons." Tsubaki pointed to a set of buttons aligned with numbers counting from one to ten.

"He's number seven!" the blue-haired ninja supplied his partner. With a simple push, Tsubaki pressed the button labeled with a number seven and waited… only for nothing to happen.

"I don't think he's home."

"Wait..." Black Star ran a little ways from her, and Tsubaki watched as her Meister carefully elevated himself so he was now climbing up the side of the building.

"Black Star!" She watched anxiously as Black Star began to climb using only the crevices in the wall and his upper body strength as a means of leverage.

"Don't fall!" was all she could yell up to him, but Black Star just scoffed at her.

"I think… this is his window! Cool, its open!"

"Oh jeez." Worriedly Tsubaki watched as he climbed through the said window and disappeared from view. She glanced around with concern while pacing. After a while, Tsubaki felt awkward standing around the apartment's doorstep so she went and sat down. After several minutes, the door behind her opened. She jumped in surprise to see Black Star coming out of the building.

"He's not there."

"That's what I told you, Black Star." Tsubaki let out a little sigh.

"Yeah, but it's weird. The door to his apartment was left wide open as though he left in an awful hurry." Tsubaki paused for a second to see a curious look on Black Star's face as he was deep in thought, looking like he was straining himself.

"Oh, don't worry Black Star. He must have… forgotten something and left to go get it." What could have Soul might have possibly forgotten? Tsubaki had no clue, but at the moment she believed that it wasn't their place to meddle in Soul's affairs. Especially since they were not really that close of friends, at least, not yet, she hoped.

"No, that's not it… The apartment just felt really..." Black Star trailed off and tapped his chin in thought before thrusting his fist towards his open palm. "Awful."

"Awful?"

"Awful." Black Star repeated, the ninja suddenly jumping from the top of the steps to the sidewalk.

"Come on. Let's go find him." He offered a gloved hand to his Weapon and with a roll of her eyes Tsubaki took his hand in hers. The two then shuffled off together in a random direction that Black Star instinctively picked.

- -

"Liz, Patty!"

"What is it, Kid?" Acknowledging the sudden voice of authority Kid used, Liz stood behind him at full attention while Patty mimicked her movements in a more childish manner.

"Do you see what I see?" was his curt reply.

"A broken down building?" To the left of Liz was a dingy pile of rubble and bricks with a little smoke rising from said building. If she had to say, when Liz looked at it closely, it appeared as if the structure had toppled over only a few minutes ago.

"Not just any broken building! THIS WAS THE MOST SYMMETRICAL BUILDING IN ALL OF DEATH CITY!"

"Oh here we go again." Liz muttered while Kid freaked out on her with Patty only providing unneeded laughter to her grievances. Liz then proceeded to take the liberty of smacking Kid on the head, who whined in response.

"Kid, let's think here a few seconds, 'kay?" The boy gave her a mournful nod.

"Look at the building. Wasn't it just here yesterday?" In an attempt to establish a point, Liz held the death god by his scrawny shoulders and gave him shake for each word that came out of her mouth.

"And now, it's rubble!" Liz spat and as Kid recoiled away from her.

"Y-your point being? Maybe Father ordered it to be taken down, and if so I need to talk with him." Kid affirmed and Liz gave him yet another shake.

"KID!" She whined. The blonde knew there was something behind the building being broken, yet she could not place a finger on it.

"Well… Fine, I admit that it's weird how--" Kid paused mid sentence and looked around, then pulled himself away from Liz approaching the debris. He bent forward on his knees and picked something up from the pile of bricks and stones. Kid then stood erect in place before Liz crushing whatever he had found as he did. "Come on, we have to go."

The chills that enveloped her spine only made Liz salute in appreciation at whatever the boy had found out, because now they were back on track, and the seriousness of that broken down building brought out a side of Kid that Liz admired most. He was all business when he called forth their weapon forms, and as he clasped over the handles, Patty started to clap her hands in glee.

"Finally, some ass-kicking!" She gave a triumphant yell while Kid produced his trusty skateboard Beelzebub and took to the skies.

- -

You suck.

You suck so much; it's fucking sad and pathetic. Go die. Go and cry in some hole because you suck so fucking hardcore!

With all those years of getting looked down upon, spit on, and talked down to, Soul learned how to antagonize others. But with those skills he was also great at making himself feel like dirt. Hell, right now he was lower than dirt; he was a fucking pathetic worm wiggling around. Right here and now he felt like a walking contradiction. Well actually at the moment he was running, not walking, but same difference. He was lying and it hurt. Or maybe his mind was just imagining the hurt rather than him actually feeling damaged by all this. What ever it was, Soul loathed his very self being. If he ever had an out-of-body experience he would kick himself where it really hurt, and hell it would hurt a lot if he ever kicked there.

Point closed, you can get how much Soul hated himself right now and how much he was hurting. He felt like spilling his guts right now, but he bet that freak chasing them with that sword would gladly do it for him instead.

"Why?" Soul whispered, his tone a low moan as if he was a child again. To his left a shoulder jabbed right into his gut. Normally it would be just a small, tender push, but with cracked ribs Maka might as well went and punched him. "OW!"

"Soul, shh!" The girl placed a finger to her lips while holding her arm close to her chest, taking in deep breaths as if she was about to collapse. Soul though, just rolled his eyes at her and muttered unintelligible words to himself.

Because the two were hiding in a tight space, Maka was firmly in his personal bubble. Her being just a mere three inches from his face was too close for comfort, and Soul was getting tense, annoyed and pissed off. He was also reprimanding himself for being such a hypocrite. All that crap his family spoon-fed him since he was born, everything they told him about Meisters, it all came crashing down to what was happening right now.

Calming his breathing and motioning for Maka to do the same, they waited until the girl passed by their little hideout and seemed far enough down the street for both of them to let out a sigh. An action that made Maka fall right into Soul. It would have been one of those cute moments you'd see in the movies, and maybe a little heart warming, but if only it didn't hurt so fucking bad!

"OWW!" Soul cringed and Maka pulled away immediately, suddenly fussing over his injuries and repeating over and over again how sorry she was. It didn't matter to Soul though, because it wouldn't take away the pain. Hissing, she backed away and fell right out of the enclosure of their little hiding place, which was a dirty old box that smelled like fish. It was gross, in all honesty. Soul also collapsed out of the box beside her, and they both breathed in the fresh air together.

"Come on… We have to go before she comes back." Maka was already shuffling to her feet with much effort while Soul remained lying on his back.

"Yeah…" Right then and there, Soul would have just said "Screw it all" and let himself die. He deserved to because he felt so wrong for protecting this girl's ass and all that stupid jazz. And WHY was he doing all of this? Because he wanted to become her partner and that's what Weapons with Meisters do: they save the asses of their Meisters like loyal dogs and because of that fact Soul hated himself.

Soul Eater Evans protecting a Meister? Royal screw-up Soul Eater Evans throwing himself on the knife, all for the life of a Meister?

But what baffled him was that only a few moments before, when he was somewhat in the clear of getting Maka to safety, Soul was actually having… fun protecting Maka. He had felt good, but now that he was all bruised and battered, bleeding and sore, Soul felt like giving up and just ditching her. As he ran for his life his brain screamed profanities in his mind. Just the image of that blasted sword swinging for his gut made Soul feel like giving up. Yet with this girl offering a hand to help him up, Soul couldn't help but to keep lying himself.

Hell, Soul was great at lying to others but to not to himself. He was an oxymoron in the fact that his unfaithfulness was, in a sense, actually what made him want to protect her, even if the notion was not fully logical to even him. Either way, it wouldn't help to think of such things as Soul realized that no matter what it was, everything was always going to be the same rhetoric bullshit.

But was it really that bad to think that Soul might actually care for someone else for a change?

- -


	13. In my head

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 13**

"Don't waste this…"

"Waste what?"

"This moment, duh," Soul called to Maka. "We finally got away from that psycho, and all we need to do is find someone with some authority to save our asses!" She rolled her eyes at him.

"You're right, but it's strange how no one is around… Wait, over here!" Soul swerved to the left and followed Maka with her bouncing pigtails as they ran into a small convenience store with a lit of neon yellow sign displaying that it was open. The irony of it being on the ledge of a street called Dreary smacked him clear in the face, as the inside of the store was a lit with nothing but orange candles, the wax dripping off from the heat of the flames.

"Some convenience store, all they sell are dingy books…" Soul muttered. Picking up a book at random, his eyes scanned over the cover, and found the subject of the book useless to him. Soul plopped it back down on the table he had picked it up from.

"It's not 'some convenience store'! It's obviously a book store, one of my favorite ones too." Maka's voice was caught between a whine and scolding, her companion only giving a lazy shrug of his shoulders. Soul glanced at her form limping towards the back of the store.

"Ah, so you're a book worm?" he rebuked. Maka's head snapped in his direction.

"What?"

"Erm… never mind." The look Soul saw in Maka's eyes made him slightly wary of trying to poke fun at her, feeling that she was the type who would hurt you if you did. Then again, that comment he had made about her assets a few days ago probably still wasn't settling well with her.

In an attempt to busy himself, the Weapon went towards the front of the store and glanced around outside to see if any signs of life or danger were walking around the streets. "So, uh, where's the owner of this little shop?" he called back.

"Madam Sumer?" He heard Maka call out into the darkness.

"Oh, Maka darling! Why are you here so late? I'll be closing soon." Hearing a voice, Soul looked to see a little old lady with many tiring winkles running along her face from numerous years of smiles and frowns. The lady, or Madam Sumer as Maka called her, came from behind a curtain overhanging at the back of the shop holding a willowed cane.

"Madam Sumer, I'm so sorry if were bothering you, but we need your phone immediately! There's a lunatic on the rampage and…" Before Maka could ramble on some more, a finger from the old woman hushed her.

"Come, I have a phone in the back." The lady ushered Maka behind her. Soul, being relieved, allowed the tiniest of smirks to surface as he felt he was finally in the clear. Turning back towards the window, he met with another face looking directly at him in the eyes.

"AH!" Soul yelped, falling backwards. The face happened to be pressed directly towards the glass and with their cheeks puffed up, looking like a blowfish. As it made antics at the scythe, Soul sweat dropped at the idiot.

"Black Star…" he murmured while rubbing at his backside. The impact had sent Soul's spine into a fit of tingles and vibrations. From behind Black Star another familiar face came into view, and the person blushed at her companion's antics. Soul gave a lazy salute.

"There you are!" Black Star rushed into the shop, Tsubaki following close behind and falling to her knees beside the battered up boy. "Holy— dude, you look like crap." Black Star thoughtfully commented while scanning Soul over.

"I also feel like crap, too… What the hell are you doing here?" Soul gave them an inquiring look as a tight frown formed on his face.

"We were worried about you!" Black Star laughed boastfully as if he was proud of it, managing to make a swipe at his friend's shoulder at the same time. Soul hissed.

"Ow… Why do people like abusing me?"

"A mystery to the world." Soul glanced at Black Star in wonder at his words, until a smile cracked upon the idiot's face, making Soul glare at him instead.

"Har, har, very funny. But seriously, what are you doing way over here on this side of the city?" Earlier on today, Black Star mentioned that he and Tsubaki would be spending most of their time living in the guest rooms at Shibusen until they found a good place to stay, but Dreary was a good twenty blocks from the grounds of Shibusen. As Soul waited for his suspicions had to be confirmed, Maka returned from the back of the shop.

"Tsubaki?" The girl in question raised her head to see Maka, and the two rushed towards one another, grabbing each other at the other's right arm.

"Maka! What happened?! You're bleeding and…" Observing her arm, she noted the bruises.

"Why are you and Soul like this?"

"Uh, it's a long story." Maka laughed and Soul scoffed.

"Pfft, long story short, some crazy bitch went crazy on us with a sword and we've been running for our lives. Whoa, that was so long." Soul gave Maka a lazy look. In return, her cheeks puffed out in agitation, making him smirk.

"But back to my question… What are you two doing here?"

"Dude, we wanted to see where you lived since Tsubaki and I had nothing else to do. When we went to your apartment, though… well, you left your door open."

"It was suspicious." Tsubaki quipped from behind her Meister's shoulder.

"And so, uh, we just ended up here?" Black Star sounded confused so Soul dismissed his distrust and gave a roll of his tense muscles.

"Whatever, so Maka, did you get a hold of someone?" A quick nod, and Soul allowed a smirk. "Great. Let's wait 'til the authorities get here."

"I actually called my dad."

"That's… Wait, your dad? What good will he be?" Soul's mind had completely replaced Maka's father with someone of a more fatherly position rather than the Death God's powerful Death Scythe.

"Don't make me hurt you." Soul raised his hands up in defense to ward off the looming presence that suddenly had appeared behind him.

"I'm kidding! Your father's great!" The boy wanted to gag but refused to actually go and do so.

"Anyways, I've already been abused enough as it is. I reached my quota." Waving a hand at her, Soul stood up shakily with his bones screaming in pure agony at him and his muscles tearing all over his body in protest. He shuddered.

"Abused…" He whined while lagging toward the side of his body that wasn't in as much pain as the other half, which happened to be his right side where his blade arm was located.

"Hey Soul, if this person was threatening you and what not, why didn't you just cut 'em up into tiny pieces using that arm of yours?" Black Star stupidly wondered aloud to him. Soul felt like hitting the idiot, but his entire body felt like a punching bag at the moment.

"If you haven't noticed Black Star, I'm a walking bruise." The blue-haired ninja gave Soul one of those charming full-row smiles that made him want to use the blinding set of teeth as target practice with some sort of throwing contraption, preferably a sling shot.

"Makes sense…" he mused while jumping up. "Hey Tsubaki, let's go find this crazy sword person and beat them up for Soul here, seeing how he couldn't do it himself." Black Star was too blunt sometimes; he was a nail that needed to be smacked down on the head with a hammer.

"Don't make me hurt you." The same words used on him a few minutes ago popped out from Soul's mouth as red orbs lit afire.

"Black Star." Tsubaki, the voice of reason, begun to reprimand the loud mouth before he said something he would undoubtedly regret when he found his head smashing through the shop's window.

"It's recommended that you two stay here until Maka's father arrives…" The old woman wobbled from behind Maka with a phone in hand, waving her cane at the two.

"Baa-san, don't worry about us, we can handle ourselves!" With a boisterous laugh, Black Star made a beeline for the door and Tsubaki rushed after him. Tsubaki waved goodbye and apologized to the old woman before she too made her leave. Soul watched as they both disappeared down the street, Black Star becoming a blur of blue and silver and Tsubaki a cream colored yellow and raven black hair. He gave a huff.

"Ah, my headache's gone…" He mused even though he didn't have one.

"Maybe we should--"

"Black Star may look like an idiot, but he can handle himself." Soul warded off Maka's anxiety with a simple shrug, but it seemed that she didn't take his comforting as face value.

"Is that boy Japanese?" Madam Sumer murmured, and Soul shrugged again.

"Maybe, Tsubaki sounds Japanese and Black Star sounds… American? I don't really know, but I think he is." To be truthful, Soul didn't know much about the two except for the simple observations, but then again, none of his musings could be taken as fact. So, at the moment the two's antics and behavior were far from mind. All he really needed to concern himself about was Maka… But then that Spider Witch had mentioned those two; he knew that some sort of unknown emotion, a sort underlining of vague worry, would raise an alarm in him. Such emotions could be accountable for there was the possibility of having Black Star as an ally.

As soon the thoughts arose in him, he diffused them just as quickly when Maka took a sudden peek outside.

"What are you doing? Stay in here!" Soul came from behind the girl to pull her back in when suddenly something told him to push her outwards. And just like that, they both toppled out of the shop, landing in the streets. Overhead them a sword struck the outer part of the door, the blade etched deep into the wooden frame as the person wielding the blade tried hard to yank it out.

"Had you two by almost two inches! Crona, hurry the hell up and pull me out!"

"Ragnarok, I think you're stuck…"

"Crona you bitch, you're just weak!"

"I'm sorry…"

"Damn it, not Twiddle Dumb and Tweedle Dee…" Soul rolled his eyes as he propped himself upwards, only to notice that he happened to be ontop of someone. "Whoops, sorry Maka."

"Get off!" He rolled sideways and the Meister gave him a glare. Her face then turned to a lovely shade of pink to which he smirked.

"Sorry." Soul laughed as Maka's face contorted into something between anger and embarrassment. It was such a funny reaction that he was curious to why she looked like that. "I mean, I didn't just try to save your life and all…" he mused.

"Consider us even." Rolling his eyes, they both stood up awkwardly watching as the girl and sword were fighting with one another.

"Madam Sumer, please stay inside!" Maka yelled while grabbing Soul by his arm. "Come on, we have to lead them away from her."

"Right…" They began running kind of awkwardly seeing how Maka was limping and he was doing this sprint-then-walk thing, but it managed to get their enemies to run after them. The sword and girl were in a hurry too, as they were gaining on Soul and Maka. "Oh crap, were so screwed."

"Just… keep on running…" Maka was suddenly having a hard time breathing and took a moment to pause and catch her breath.

"We don't have time to stop." Soul pushed his companion forward but she shook back in protest.

"It hurts…" For a second, Soul had the thought that the girl was probably going to faint.

"Come on, Maka…"

"I'm so confused," she muttered as Soul propped her against him.

"Don't worry about it," Soul murmured, for it was all he could say. Maka suddenly seemed extremely confused, and he couldn't decide if that was a good thing or bad thing. He opted for bad.

"Just stay with me." The blonde's eyes seemed to zone in and out on him. And having her lean against him made Soul just want to drop her, he was so weak that he doubted he could go any farther. He remained with Maka by his hip and her arm hanging over his left shoulder.

"Black Star and Tsubaki should have stayed," Soul grunted as if he actually cared. All he could think about was the sudden apprehension of danger causing a cold feeling on his neck. He expected that the crazy girl would come from behind and attack them, and the anticipation of such a fate loomed over him as he limped farther away from the shop, waiting for her to suddenly appear. With each step, the anxiety of the attack made him sweat, combined with the overexertion by caring Maka. And there was a good word for it all… Fear.

"Just hurry it up already!" Tired of waiting, Soul stopped and did a full 180 to face the sword and Meister, only to see no one behind him.

"Behind you, jackass!"

- -

Kid looked down at the empty streets to see two figures running down Avenue Cane in a mighty rush. His suspicions arose as he descended on the two.

"Kid, what are you doing?" he heard Liz pipe up from the confines of the pistol.

"I've never seen these two in Death City before," Kid answered.

"What, do you have a photogenic memory now?" Liz voiced out.

"I believe it is 'photographic'," Kid replied with a chuckle as they stopped before the supposedly suspicious persons. "Halt." Kid jumped down from his floating skateboard which retracted back into the form of black light and back into his rings located on his fingers.

"Ain't you spiffy? What do you want?" An adolescent male probably around his age crossed his arms before him and gave him a glare to which he fully ignored while looking over the stranger's companion. A female, maybe around Liz's age, with black hair tied back into a high ponytail. Trying his best not to study them and their asymmetrical deficiencies, he exhaled a cough.

"I am the son of Shinigami-sama, Death… the Kid." Tossing the guns into the air his partners, Liz and Patti transformed back into their human forms and arranged themselves into the proper symmetrical stance as he introduced himself.

"Uh…"

"Kid, why do we always have to do this stance? It's so embarrassing." Ignoring Liz, the shinigami stood at full attention waiting for a reply back from the other two unknown people before him.

"Black Star?" The boy at the front introduced himself reluctantly with a confused look while he scratched his head.

"My name is Tsubaki, and we are new students to Shibusen, if that helps you any." With a nod, Kid clapped his hands.

"Well, we're off then, now that you have stated your names."

"That's it? What, are we suspicious looking to you or something?" the one named Black Star called out after the other boy.

"Maybe," Kid replied, ignoring them now as he walked away.

"Don't turn your back on the great me!" The blue-haired kid roused out from behind him. Kid in mock reply waved a weak hand to him as he ventured away down the street from him.

"Tsubaki!" Kid heard him cry out, also hearing the said girl give out a sigh before a swishing noise was heard from behind. His senses suddenly heightened, for he knew that this Black Star fellow was preparing to attack him. Kid prepared for his assault keeping in mind that Black Star was to attack him with a very sharp object.

- -

"Holy shit…!" Soul dodged rather sloppily, landing on his stomach as a rush of air went over him. "Yikes…" Turning around and holding Maka tight to his side he turned and saw the girl. She had an oddly deformed grin upon her face.

"Don't move... I don't want this to be messy." She murmured, bringing down her blade, which Soul backed away from as the tip of it landed between his legs. Giving her a wide-eyed look the girl smiled back. "I won't miss next time," she threatened, preparing to heave the sword back upwards.

"I won't let that happen!" Soul scrambled backwards, and using only his good arm he placed his foot on the hilt of the blade and used it to propel himself backwards, going with the momentum as he kicked the girl in the face. A mangled cry of pain was heard as Soul landed in a crouch, watching as the girl flailed backwards, holding her nose.

"Crona, you pussy! Come back here!" the sword spoke again, producing dark red lips to yell at her with. Ignoring both of their cries Soul went back towards Maka and hauled her upwards again as they made their getaway. He couldn't help but smirk at the two of them since they were so predictable.

Turning down a street, the scythe glanced around, looking for a place to hide. He knew carrying Maka around was not going to get them anywhere, so he decided the best option was to hide her somewhere and just let them follow him thinking that they were both still together. Soul would be far away from Maka, and she would be safe. Nodding at his plan, he limped towards a side of a building. Seeing a door he ventured toward it hoping for it to open. It did.

Shrugging into the door, he pulled Maka in and closed the door behind them. He put Maka against the door and snapped his fingers in front of her face.

"Oi, Maka wake up!" Her eyes opened, focusing in and out on Soul while he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Are we safe now?" Maka murmured.

"Were not in the clear yet," Soul replied as he peered out the window.

"Oh…" Maka gave a little moan that he scoffed at.

"Awh, Maka, you got no faith in me," he mocked as he placed a sorrowful hand to his chest.

"You jerk, I did not say such a thing." Maka shrugged as she propped herself upwards. "Yet, I'm curious…" She murmured.

"You… have some sort of plan to get us out of this, don't you?" Soul gave a lazy shrug, then took one last glance out the window and turned back to Maka.

"Yeah, but I doubt you'll like it." He scratched his chin in thought.

"What is it?"

"Splitting up."

"You know where that got us last time," was her curt reply.

"Yeah, but if we don't, we're not going to get anywhere. I still got a little fight in me, so therefore I will lead them off while you stay here."

"You have a point, Soul, but can't we just both stay here?" Maka whined a little a noise that made him frown.

"No." Releasing his hold on her, he leaned backwards.

"Why do you have to go? Why can't I go?" Maka questioned.

"You fainted only just a few moments ago, so I doubt you could lead them off for long. Besides, I don't mind." He stood up now and gave her a pat on the head.

"Why are you doing this?"

"That's easy-- I don't want you to die. Having you dead would defeat the purpose of becoming partners with you."

"Oh."

"'Oh', that's all you can say?" Slightly disheartened he faked a grimace.

"Well, maybe not 'oh', but more like 'oh really', but just… 'really'?"

"Yeah," Soul responded, and it became quiet between them. "But we're going to be partners only on one condition." He gave a smirk.

"A condition?" Maka questioned and he nodded.

"Yep, fairly easy too. All I want you to do is promise to be my partner just as long as I do not die. You think you can promise me that?"

"But…" Maka fumbled with her hands suddenly then gave a shake of her head.

"Come on, look-- there's a fifty-fifty chance of me dying here, meaning that there's half a chance of you not being my partner if that's what it comes down to. So think of it like this: can't you grant a dead guy's last dying wish?" The look she gave him confirmed that she was going to say yes, but to confuse him she brought her hand out.

"It's a promise, but you're not going to die anyway." With her jut out hand, he clasped it over his and shook on it.

"How do you know?" Soul mused.

"You just like being over dramatic, is all…" The tiny smirk that accompanied her words made a tight smile to overcome him.

"Maybe…" was all Soul said as he took one last peek beyond him. "I'm glad you have some faith in me."

"We're partners. I think it should be mandatory that I have some faith in you." Maka smiled warmly up at him. He wasn't going to deny her logic because to him it was some pretty good logic to stand by. So with one more glance out the window he went to open the door, only to pause as a gloved hand rested upon his elbow.

"Thanks."

"No problem," Soul whispered back, those being his last words as he disappeared out the door.

- -

"That boy is dumb, thinking we're going to follow his bait," Ragnarok whispered to Crona. She could only bite back a response only knowing he wouldn't care for what she would say as they fell into the alley below, waiting as the white haired male disappeared.

"We've been away for too long Ragnarok… We should hurry this up."

"You don't have to tell me! I already know… That woman is going to get mad at us. It's your entire fault too!"

"My fault? How is it my fault?" Crona whined.

"Because, Crona… You're a dumb moron who can't even cut down two squirts!" Ragnarok thundered from within the sword only to suddenly transform into his human form while his lower half stayed in weapon form. "Dumb stupid Crona!" Ragnarok yelled out while grabbing her by the head and crushing her skull with his large hands.

"Ah--Ragnarok!" Crona whined futilely as he gave her noggin a good shake. "Ow, ow!" He did this until she begged him to stop; he gave up in a huff.

"Bah, pussy!" He spat out at her as he turned back into a sword. Crona sniffled while fixing back her hair and proceeded to walk out of the alley.

- -

Soul knew that the two were following them when he left the building, but what he didn't realize was that they had been preparing for his next move. When they saw him finally leave, that was when they decided on their entrance.

Great! The scythe reprimanded himself as he hid to the side of the building, taking cautious peeks out into the street waiting for them to appear. After a few moments, they both came from within an alleyway and were now calmly making their way for the apartment building he had left Maka in.

It would seem that he had just led them to her. Muttering at his fault, he ran to catch them. He didn't know what he was doing now, only that he was running back.

- -

Maka's eyelids dropped slowly over her tired green orbs that were fixated on an object a few feet from her that glowed slightly. She was hoping right now that Soul was okay and was very grateful toward how kind he was acting. She didn't know that he could exhibit such emotions. Well, she knew little of him in the first place, but if she was one to base looks on experience, Soul seemed like the bad boy. Shark teeth and glowing red eyes, feral in a fight and dangerous when angered. Well from what she's seen.

Finally letting her heavy eyelids drop, Maka released a sigh just as the door that she was leaning against started to open. Crying out the girl flipped backwards, the angle that she fell from causing her to completely fall down the stairs.

"OW!" Maka pulled herself up from the tumble and felt incredibly dizzy.

"Hello." Maka flinched instinctively as the weapon and partner stood over her.

"You thought you could get away, eh? You dumb blonde!"

"Dumb!?" Maka yelled out but stopped as the sword was placed directly by her neck.

"Please… I rather you be quiet for this." Maka gasped as the sword was pulled back. She closed her eyes, ready for the blade to cut her.

"Where the fuck did you come from?" Maka blinked realizing that she was still alive. The sword weapon had not followed through with cutting into her flesh, but instead someone else's.

"I didn't think I would ever do something like this." Soul murmured to her bending by her in a crouch and the sword having been stabbed into his back.

"I missed."


	14. One shy from intimacy

**Long time no see huh…I MEAN LONG TIME NO UPDATE. Jeez three months later, miraculously an update appears legaspe! Is this the end of the world? I THINK NOT. Well here is chapter 14 for all you darlings…I hope you guys still like this. And oh I guess I should mention that this chapter is not beta'd! 8D Which is a bad thing because my grammar sucks, RUN FROM THE GRAMMAR RUN YOU FOOLS! No wait come back and read! Well yeah I couldn't reach my beta person and I really wanted this out. So yeah. **

**Enough randomness I'll like to mention that I'm going back to redo chapters. I would like to think that my grammar has slightly improved since four, five months ago. From all the role-playing that I do, it should have, or maybe it hasn't. Which is then major PHAILZ on my part…anyways, enjoy.**

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 14**

Lying in a pool of your own blood was no doubt unsanitary. Of course he shouldn't really be worrying about such a thing right now, but he couldn't help his bleak thoughts. They rolled out of him, dripped past his barriers and out into his consciousness, like how the crimson river did around him. But still a little unsettling huh?

"Soul…?" The faint cry, a hush whisper it tore into his senses and echoed along in his ears.

"What are you…_doing_?" He questioned in the slightly vague world around him, his eyes zoning in and out on Maka.

"You're…" Maka's voice broke and shattered around him, the sound made him scoffed.

"Get lost." He spat out rolling to his side and gripping hard, even though the pain seeped from his back.

"Idiot I'm not…" Maka's voice broke again as she couldn't finish her sentence, she seemed too distracted by the blood around him. He grinned in agony that wrapped around his middle, around and around, it ran down the length of his back, flesh cut into and blood spilt. No doubt anyone would be in pain.

"Hey look I got stabbed for you, go away now." His voice was slightly light and you couldn't tell of any hint of anger towards her, even though the words were supposed to be harsh. He just couldn't help the way it all came out and was heard.

"Oh look he isn't dead Crona; you just gotta stab him harder then!" The voice that rang from the confines of the bloody sword that stabbed him started to laugh manically. The girl wielding him could only whimper in response as she shrank back.

"I'm t-tired Ragnarok…" Another whimper that verged onto a pathetic whine vibrated the girl's vocals.

"BITCH, be quiet!" And another whack to the poor girl's cranium sheltered Soul and Maka for a few moments.

"Please leave…" He whispered his focus now in and out. Another moment in his life he would past out before the worst.

"I…" Maka suddenly surprised him when he felt her gloved hands press against his wound. He hissed and tried to wiggle away only for her to glare at him, eyes glossy as tears threatened to pour out. "Stay put." Her voice steady and without a hint of rocky cracks he rolled his head back to the cement ground. Now all he could manage was a simple hum, sweeping over them both as the last of consciousness slipped and drowned he became in the darkness.

****

"Well isn't this pleasant?" Kidd soothed, walking back in forth in the hallway of Shibusen, a hand placed under his chin in a manner of pure calculation. Time was always of the essence and with so little of it spent on dawdling about he felt sickened to the point of falling to his knees.

That he took a moment to actually go and do. "What's taking so long?" The whine that echoed in the lonely hallway was unsettling but he couldn't help that his emotions were getting the better of him.

"Kidd what are you still doing here?" His head snapped upwards to a voice situated from above him, his tawny eyes in pure distress as he blinked up at the figure.

"Waiting." Kidd replied with a blank face as he settled back into his moaning stature and started to pound the ground with his fist. "Waiting, waiting, waiting!" He yelled out, each word getting him more depressed. For such a word caused misery to the young Death God when dealt with the worry of someone's _lacking_ balance.

"Look, she's still busy waiting on that other kid, why don't we just go home?" Liz, oh trusted Liz bent down beside him, patting him gently upon his back. Still he flinched away and curled up even further. "Jeez you're such a handful." The sigh that escaped her made him twitch.

"Damnit." Kidd replied while he got up in a quick fashion before the demon gun and her other half. Who was standing behind her with a childish expression. "Liz, Patti…" He paused and looked into the room which held his best friend. "MAKA'S BEEN IN THERE FOR SEVEN HOURS! SEVEN!" He cried out suddenly making a move to fall to his knees.

"Kidd!" Liz started out grabbing him by the left shoulder while Patti supported him on the right. "If we come back here in an hour, it'll be eight!" So enthused was Liz, the older female failed to notice the rolling back of the young Death god's head.

"Ahaha! Look it, look it! His head rolls off!" Patti meanwhile proceeded to poke his head to the left and right side of his shoulders.

"Stupid Kidd!" Liz muttered taking both shoulder's now and shaking him.

*****

"Stupid Kid…" The death scythe murmured, leaning against the door frame. "Where the heck is Stein?" The red head demon death scythe started to whine. A very non adult thing to do but he felt so useless when his poor Maka was in that room trying to act adult. Shouldn't he console her? Tell her everything was going to be alright?

He paused right outside the door and only gave a tired sigh. He's been standing outside said door for the past…three hours? Questioning whether or not to stroll in and support his daughter! Another tired sigh as he slouched.

So maybe he was too caught up with himself but either way he knew he couldn't do it. He arrived far too late and at the moment, he slightly blamed himself for not getting there any sooner. The sight he came upon was scarring to his fatherly eyes, his daughter in distress because he arrived far too late. Now running a hand through his limp hair, from a lack of a shower he collapsed to the floor. Settling in, whatever Nygus was doing, she sure as hell was taking her time.

****

"Bravery…it's inside of you."

"Yeah? Where exactly is this bravery you talk of?"

"It's complicating to place but it should be right there."

"Where? My soul?" A slight scoff and he was walking away.

"You're always so amusing up to the end aren't you?"

**-Blink, blink, blink-**

"Ah look your awake." This voice was warmth dipped in coffee and he couldn't help the sigh. "And happy to boot, that's another good sign." With a little tap, tap to her clipboard the nice lady fluffed his pillow.

"Where am I?" He questioned aloud, his eyes following the lady with the dreads. She gave him a smile before bringing the covers up to his neck.

"The Shibusen infirmary, you gave everyone quite the scare." The lady mused aloud as she sauntered away from the bed, going through a cabinet directly across from him.

"Shibusen…" He murmured slightly surprised. Even though he was knocked right out he wasn't daft to what happened to him. He just didn't exactly know what happened _after_ he clonked out. That slightly unsettled him.

"Uh huh, they brought you in all bloody and bruised and fussed that I had to clean you up. I may be Nurse Nygus but I'm not any Doctor Stein…" Again the lady now named Nygus mused.

"Stein?" He murmured the word slightly weird to place upon his tongue. It felt odd and just plain…weird.

"Yes, Doctor Franken Stein. Unfortunately that man has been missing for quite a while."

"Oh…" It was all he could say as he settled more into the pillow but his thoughts murmured out from him. "Why didn't they just take me to a hospital?" The scritch scratching she was just making on her handy clipboard stopped. Eerily so that he raised an eyebrow and even though Nurse Nygus's back was placed before him he caught sight of her in the reflection of the cabinet's mirror. Her face was pulled into a grimace as if she didn't even know herself and now yet another thing that completely unsettled him.

"I guess they thought I could do a better job." But she was quick to answer and yet again turned to him with a large smile. It was so plastic-y for he knew now that she also was now unsettled. _Oh joy._

"Well…" He shrugged forward and admired his bandages by lifting up the ridiculous gown they placed him in. "They look like they won't come undone from any nightmares." He was amused when her eyebrows darted upwards. "'Cause going through what I just went through…is enough to get the brain to start reliving the scenes…over and over." His voice was flat as he finished and he fell into the pillows, wincing a bit on the way back.

"No doubt about that." She concluded as she placed the clipboard directly under her arm. "Now you just rest up Soul Eater and if you need to go use the washroom…" She paused as she went to the left of his bedside and reached into a drawer directly beside him. "Here are some bottoms for you." Placing said bottoms on top of his lap he couldn't help the slight blush that rushed to his cheeks.

"Hey Nygus, I'm hoping that you were the one to undress me?" He said casually as he grabbed up the material, his voice holding an edge that verged to pleading. If some other person saw him in his unmentionables he was surely going to explode from embarrassment, especially if it was some dude and not some lady.

"Nope, Death Scythe stripped you down."

"Stripped?!" He spluttered.

"Uh huh…now calm down Soul and get some rest!" With that Nygus left the room as his face screwed up into embarrassment. A flipping Death Scythe saw him in his undies? _Well at least they weren't some ridiculous undies with bones on them._ He blanched internally at his thoughts.

"Oh man, so uncool."

***

"MAKA~!"

"What?"

"Papa?" The helpless father pointed to himself with wide eyed puppy eyes and she only turned her head away. The helpless father couldn't help the tears now as they flowed over. "Maka please let Papa take you home." He was sniffling for death god's sake; didn't she know that he was in pain for her?

"I can't go home now, I have to see Soul." She tilted her head to the side and with her not bandaged arm held her head in place, directly staring toward the door that held that kid behind it. Spirit followed her eyes and gave a frown.

"Maka you haven't slept." Spirit murmured as he stood tall, his eyes just a deep plain blue as he worriedly stared toward his little girl.

"I have."

"Twenty minute naps don't count as sleeping."

"If they are sporadic they do." And as smart as ever she danced away from him again. Now his own tired hand seeped down his face as he glanced slightly cock eyed toward the door with the kid behind it.

"Please Maka, for Papa?" Truly he was tired and exhausted mentally. So in both the departments of physical and mental he was washed out. He knew that it wasn't comfortable for naps in those chairs they were hell and sleep was almost impossible without having something sticking into your side. It didn't even matter if she was half his size; the chairs just weren't meant for relaxing in.

She didn't even move or turn a lash to him, her eyes remained glued to the door and unfazed she spoke. "Please hurry up, for me…" And like that she made a direct hit and he was instantly down and out. Surprisingly the floor was more comfortable to sleep on then those insufferable chairs.

****

"It was for your own good Papa." Maka whispered as she swung down his coat and covered him with it. She even removed the sweater he brought for her to place his head underneath. She paused as she admired her work and nodded that he would be fine. A little sore maybe but he would at least catch some shut eye.

Now returning to her awkward seat she was irked with herself by using the guilt card. Well rather words, to knock her poor father out. He was so self conscious of their relationship it was fairly easy to get him to either, shut up, fall asleep or to make him quite depressed. She was a terrible daughter really and at that she smiled weakly.

"Father like daughter huh?" They both were major morons in the idiot department and that was the honest truth. She came upon the conclusion herself one day when he up and ditched her for some cabaret ladies. Immediately tossing her some money for the groceries they were suppose to get together and left with said ladies. She was forced to do all the shopping and while doing so she called upon Kidd for some help. As always he did come to her rescue. Kidd fixed her up by giving her a pep talk and even carrying her groceries home.

She realized she was terrible when she started to take advantage of Kidd, even though before they weren't best friends she managed to always cling to him, selfishly. She and her father were in the same boat, clinging to things selfishly and not wanting to let go.

Tiredly she sighed while rubbing at her temples. She was only an idiot because she liked to contradict and do things she would say that she'll never do. She kept on doing them over and over. Nothing would change about her. She was Maka. Who disappoints her father, disappoints her friend, and disappoints any new friends. While all at the same time she whiplashes back and get's let down in front of them.

Where was everyone? Why wasn't she any stronger? These questions plagued her mind for the many hours that dwindled by as Soul was 'operated' on. Only getting muddled and more confusing for her to decipher. She questioned if she was making any sense, only to come to the conclusion that maybe this only made sense to her.

"Maka?" Eyes slowly darting upwards she saw the nurse named Nygus before her.

"Miss Nygus is Soul alright?" She couldn't explain the relief that washed over her when she saw Nygus appear from the room behind her and slightly wondering why she wasn't wearing her mummified nurse outfit. Whatever she ignored that and patiently waited for her to reply.

"Yeah he's fine, slightly morbid and maybe a bit too sarcastic for a kid his age but eh, he'll be fine." She laughed before she started to head for the door.

"He's fine?!" Maka questioned loudly, jumping from the confines of the chair and past her father she grabbed at Nygus's arm. "How can he be fine? You were in there for eight hours?" Her voice was too fast even to her own ears and there was this verge to it that scared her.

"Maka, girl…calm down." Nygus didn't seem to notice or rather that she did but hid her reaction to her loud outburst very well.

"But…" Her shoulders fell down and she gave this defeated look. She was obviously getting too bent out of shape about all this.

"I'm sorry I took so long." She paused before observing her wrist watch. "Ho-I guess I did take a bit too long." Nygus ran a hand up over her face and then down again before placing her hands upon Maka's shoulders. "Look just go on in there and see him for a bit. You'll be glad to see that he's perfectly alright." With a reassuring nod and a push Maka tip toed past her father who was snoring quite loudly on the floor and stopped at the door. A glance back at Nygus and she opened the door.

"Now what am I going to do with you…" She heard Nygus say before she closed the door behind her. Obviously she was talking to her father.

****

"Hey can't a guy get some shut eye?" Soul mused as he fidgeted in the embarrassing half an outfit. Mistakenly looking slightly like one of those hospital robes. He struggled with it and at the same time careful of his wound, he slipped it off. It was slightly bugging him.

"Oh you're busy, I'm sorry…" He couldn't really forget a voice like that and reaching out he pulled back the curtain hiding him from view to see _her_. Her hair disheveled and eyes half open that the bruises underneath told him she obviously hasn't been sleeping. She awkwardly played with her hands and glanced at him. The blush radiating her face made him note of the sudden chill in the room. He gave a snort of laughter.

"Hey I'm not too busy to talk to you, jeez Maka." He gave a lopsided grin that brightened up her mood considerably as she rushed over to him. Maka's eyes were wide as she placed her hands upon the bed causing a shift in his blankets and revealing his boxer shorts to her. "Oi, wait a moment I just came out of surgery!" He mocked as she fidgeted back and another dangerously red blush heated her moments before pale face.

"I didn't think…you weren't really in there for eight hours were you?"

"Eight?" He questioned himself. That sounded strange, eight hours to fix up a tiny wound like this? He thought while veering back against the pillows.

"Yeah that's what Miss Nygus said…" She drifted off.

"I…maybe I was just knocked out for eight hours…" He offered but not staying on that topic. He decided he could think about it later himself.

"Yeah…" A slight murmur and the room went deadly quiet, too quiet for his liking.

"You alright there fine stuff?"

"Fine stuff?" She squeaked, shuffling back. He rolled her eyes at her antics before waving his hand at her.

"You're not hurt? I mean I don't exactly know what happened right after I passed out." He lazily drawled.

"Oh, yeah I'm alright I mean…" She lifted up her arm revealing her wrist, locked up tight in bandages that curved down to her elbow. She also pointed to a few bruises that scattered her body and gave a tight nod before slouching a bit.

"How's your leg?" Maka asked.

"I can walk on it." Soul gave a nod himself before staring down at his own body. Also littered with welts and bruises, the most damaging of all was the bandages looped around his waist, protecting his wound at the back.

"How's you're back?" Maka asked.

"I'll have a scar but it's not like anybody will see it that much." He shrugged. "I mean it would have been awful if I got slashed right across the chest. You'd probably feel all bad every time you looked at it." He laughed at his own joke.

"Why would I be looking at your chest?" She seemed confused.

"You think I like walking around in a shirt? Come on Maka stare at these muscles!" He did a pathetic stretch before laughing.

"Idiot," she murmured before finding a chair and sitting down herself. He 'hmm' toward her.

"So Maka…you remember our promise?" He glanced toward her gauging her reaction.

"Eh?" Not a really good reaction but he could work with it. Soul managed a tired sigh before giving a gawky slouch of disapproval.

"Maka honestly after all I've been through for you." He muttered his voice aghast and broken. She immediately jumped from her chair and was by his side in two seconds flat.

"What, what?" She blurted clutching the blankets. He noted that she was slightly touchy. He wondered if that was a good thing or a bad thing and faintly concerned it as good…in the confines of his mind of course.

"What's the point of telling you…?" His voice lured onwards in a faint whine and he decided that he should tone it down a little, well until she made a move to grab at him. His thoughts zoomed from there at the thought of getting her to grab him. It could lead to some things and she was obviously walking into such _things_.

"I'm sorry there has been a lot of things on my mind, tell me." Her eyes were wide and he glanced to the slight bruises beneath. _No doubt you've been through a lot, I've also been through a lot too, I mean I got stabbed for you woman._ On the inside Soul blanched a little at his thoughts, wondering where that train of thought came from but ignoring it, as he did to a lot of things. He continued with his charade, giving Maka what he would cite as a tiresome look.

"Nah we can talk about it later." He shuffled away from her now. She inched closer to him, as he predicted.

"No, if you don't tell me I'll think about it until we get to talk again and I won't get any sleep!" She whined herself, the noise pleasing enough for him to crack a smile.

"Well…" He gave a quick rub towards his neck. "It's kinda awkward if you don't remember." When he thought about it was. So what he just said wasn't too far from the truth.

"Wait, wait, I think I got it…uhhh…" She said but obviously she didn't.

"Nah no worries on my end, just go." He replied in a flat tone that made her slightly twitch. He even started pulling up some covers to relax, but that was obviously a wrong idea as she latched to said covers. Jerking them from his grip and pulling them away. He felt consciously bare as she glared at him.

"Thank you for saving me and…" Maka murmured as she racked her brain from his point of view. Soul also would like to note that she was pulling the blankets away from him. Revealing more and more of his body to her, she of course didn't seem to notice.

Pity.

"And…?" He drawled not minding that now the blankets only were covering his stomach. He would start worrying if she pulled them past his abdomen.

"You're…partner?" Maka seemed fazed by her conclusion and wide eyed the next as she fully jerked the blankets back. It was really quite cold in the room without his blankets.

"Oi…what's with you and trying to see me half naked?" He replied rather bluntly while reaching forward to grab a hold of her hands.

"Oh I'm sorry." Maka seemed not fazed that he was only in his boxer shorts; maybe he was the only one with the problem while he grabbed her hands. Only for her hands to be fisted at the material like it was a lifeline.

"I mean, yeah I agreed to be your partner on the fact that you lived and you have so…that means were partners now? Wow that was easy, wait do you want to be partners with me? I mean me; seemingly I attract danger of the crazy kind. Aren't you worried I'm accidental prone? How bout if I'm crazy myself? How could you agree to be partners with me in the first place?" She was now scolding him while jerking the blankets away from his grip. That slightly annoyed him.

"Hey look I obviously wanted to be partners with you in the first place! It would be idiotic of me not to conclude that maybe you are a dangerous factor for my well being!" He jerked the blankets back toward him, only for her to pull right back.

"Then why did you," she pulled quite hard forcing him to shuffle forward a bit, "try so hard to help…ME!" Maka yelled out now, annoyance tracing that sleepy face of hers. A twinge of sympathy battered him but he ignored it.

"'Cause isn't it obvious that I like you!" He pulled roughly himself now, her feet tripped forward and she lurched onto the bed. A triumph grin adorned his face as she stared up at him. A flash of anger ruined her surprised expression.

"Liar!" Maka spat that he growled right back.

"Don't call me a liar; you don't know anything about me!" He muttered back.

"That's why I can't believe you…when you say…that you want to be my," She gripped the blankets quite hard now as her knuckles were white, "PARTNER!" She fully ripped the blankets from him and she fell backwards onto the floor. A mangled squeak of surprise as Maka landed in a heap of _his_ blankets onto the floor. He could only stare down at her with this passive expression. Letting what she said settle with him.

He obviously had a problem now…trying to convince her to be partners with him. Obviously getting her to promise wasn't going to suffice. She was so stubborn it seemed and irked he jerked out of bed. Ignoring the stabbing pain that throbbed at his side, he crouched down to the ground. His face twisted into a slight grin as she still had the blankets tossed over her head, her heaving breathing erratic underneath the cover of his blankets. He ran a slow hand down his face and slowly pulled the blankets from over her head.

He cocked his head to the side to see angry tears trailing her face and miffed she slanted her head away from him.

"Why you getting yourself so tousled up over something as simple as being partners?" He questioned quietly.

"Because Soul it shouldn't be this easy." Maka was quiet herself when she replied, her eyes still not focused on him.

"And why the heck not?" Soul murmured.

"For one thing this is a life changing thing and…well you can't be so willing to be with me, right?"

"Wrong…" He sighed, while reaching downwards to pull at her hand. She raised her eyes to him with curiosity as he linked his fingers with hers. He had to slouch forward a bit but now only inches away from her face, he stared her straight on. While leading her hand right to where he got stabbed. The position was rather intimate but she didn't seem to mind, her face only went slack as her hands felt the bandages.

"This wound I got here, it was simple. All I did was jump in front of something meant for you." She flinched at that and even opened her mouth to say something but he simply shushed her. "Asking you to promise me to be my partner after that whole ordeal was simple, even easy to say. Talking to you at Shibusen on my first day was easy too, and noticing you was simple and innocent at best."

"So I don't understand why being partners with you isn't simple. Haven't I proved myself?" He quirked an eyebrow at her and Maka's hand still remained on his back.

"Proved yourself…I didn't want you to prove yourself, I was just questioning this all. It's a bit too surreal." At this opportune moment she laughed.

"Surreal?" He questioned, dropping his hand from hers while propping himself forward on either side of her. "I don't find this situation surreal at all…" He gave her a sly grin. She noticed both their positions and her face heated up like it was on fire.

"S-soul, I'm sorry!" She yelped and that's when the door was kicked down.

"GET OFF MY DAUGHTER YOU WHORE!"

_Whore…? Daughter…?_

"Maka you're father just called me a whore." Soul said while giving a lazy look over toward the man standing at the door. He knew that the position they both were in was a bit provocative, with him being only is his boxers and Maka blushing the color of a tomato; well one couldn't help but get ideas. Honestly too with her hand placed right by his hip basically it looked like her father just walked right into some sort of heated make out session, seeing how they both were on the floor.

"Papa…!" Maka yelped again and Soul only pushed backwards away from her. On the inside Soul was as embarrassed as Maka was, but hid it well. If he over reacted. it would mean her father would over react. So he remained calm and confident.

"Yo." He saluted with a lazy salute toward the death scythe. This seemed to steam the man off more as his face contorted in a range of colors, the most astonishing being purple.

"You get away from my daughter you punk!" The man crowed and Soul scratched his cheek.

"Sorry say that again?"

"You heard me, stay away from her!" Maka's Papa yelled out angrily, making a beeline toward him. Soul just tilted his head to the side.

"How can I when were partners? We should always be together." His statement stopped the man from approaching him anymore and the image of his jaw dropping practically to the floor was slightly entertaining. He made note to surprise the man more often.

"Lies!" He yelled out accusingly, he even pointed a finger at him as if to convince himself that it was. "Maka, tell Papa it isn't true!" The man started to beg as he dropped to his knees by his little girl. Maka seemed quite befuddled as she started to play with her pigtails, lose against her head.

"He isn't lying." She drawled while glancing back and forth between them both. Soul managed out a grin.

"See old man I'm not lying! Hail Maka for she tells the truth!" He sang out loud, tossing his head back for show.

"NO!" Maka's Papa yelled out in outrage. "Not with _him_!" He cried. Soul slightly cocked an eyebrow at Maka's father, wondering why he stressed on the '_him'_ part.

"I don't see what's the problem with me being partners with her." Soul murmured offhandedly to himself, but Maka's Papa overheard him.

"Because you're…!"

"Now Spirit-kun I would believe that this isn't such a bad match up." This new voice that floated in the room was childish and sweet that it sent shivers to his very soul…heck it felt like someone was staring at him with an intensity that he searched the room for the entity that sang out that voice.

"Shinigami, sir!" Both Maka and her father cried out and Soul froze at the honorific.

_OH HELL NO._

"Yo, yo, yo, what's happening?" Soul glanced toward Maka to see her eyes trained onto the only mirror in the whole room.

"I didn't think you would come all the way down here to talk to Soul…" Maka's father who the Shinigami called Spirit-kun murmured to the person in the mirror. Well if he could even call it a _person_. It was actually a big giant black and white blob with the skull motif that decorated Death City on it where it's face was suppose to be. It was childish looking if he had to be blunt.

But it still made him weary for that intensity never gave up. Those black holes were a space of nothingness and no pupils to tell him of any danger held within him. To be honest he felt quite bare being looked at by them. He even snatched up the blankets on the floor while at the same time helping up Maka.

"Ah so this is Soul? A new student to Shibusen and I haven't even met nor greeted you! Such a shame eh?" The childish Shinigami bounced inside of the mirror as it waved at him with large white gloved hands. He awkwardly returned the wave himself, unsure of this Shinigami.

"Sir this was impulsive of my daughter and…" Spirit, Maka's Papa's words were halted by a wave from Shinigami and a glare from his daughter went and froze him from behind. Soul remained passive but on edge as he went back to his bed and propped back up onto the mattress. Curving into the frame and folding the blankets around his body. It was dumb for him to remain half naked in front of so much people. He gave a slight sigh.

"But it would seem that your daughter and Soul have come to an agreement?" Shinigami said. Maka gave a quick nod while her father remained reluctant but nodded none the less. "So it would be agile of us to start setting up arrangements for the two!" A chirpy sound emitted from Shinigami while a disgruntled murmured came from Maka's father. Maka herself gave a quick nod while glancing toward him. He politely smiled in return.

"Thank you, sir." Maka bowed before the great Death God that Soul wondered about the mannerism. He guessed that Maka could be from some Japanese descent seeing how her name was not any English he heard of. Nor did it derive from any Latin or Greek root he could think of. Then again his mind was a bit foggy and he hadn't done any of his language studies in more than a year. Well he hadn't been doing much since two months ago he thought sourly.

"No problem Maka, ~ now Soul how are you feeling?" Shinigami asked. Soul gave a little tilt of his head as he relaxed backwards into the pillows again.

"I'm good." Soul replied simply turning away from the Shinigami to lay eyes on Maka and that's where they stayed. He was more comfortable with his eyes on her rather than the two other entities in the room. Her father was just plain creepy and the Shinigami or Death God was just plain frightening even with his goofy manner.

"It was unfortunate what happened and in my streets no less. Well you'll be happy to know that we sent some of our top people to find the culprits." Shinigami informed him in that chirpy voice of his. Soul was phased completely till he registered the word 'find' in his lethargic mind.

"Wait, you mean they got _away_?" He stressed on the 'away'.

"Unfortunately, yes." Shinigami murmured.

"That's wonderful to know, that you can't even protect your own citizens, some Death God you are." He couldn't help that nauseating venom drip from his words. He only winced when Maka gasped and hissed his name.

"Now look here brat, the situation proved too complicated for me to handle. I had to decide whether to chase down the culprits and start a confrontation or save my daughter and her punk ass friend. I'm sorry that I chose the former, but know this. That the next time you're dying I'll choose the latter of the situation." Spirit hissed practically like his daughter did his name. Soul just stiffened as the air in the room warped around the proximity of the Death Scythe.

"Now, now Spirit-kun no need for harsh words. I'm sorry Soul that things got out of hand; believe me when I say that I give my humblest apologies to the state you are in." Shinigami said. Soul just remained wrapped up now into a ball of anxieties. He didn't like where he was now, he preferred when it was just him and Maka so miffed he nodded. "Such sullen moods, cheer up Spirit-kun, your daughter has found a partner! I just have the greatest feeling about them both." Forever he seemed happy that Shinigami joyously clapped those large hands of his together. It earned tight smiles, from everyone in the room.

"So we should start planning for the two to take up the admission process."

"Admission process," Soul questioned the Shinigami.

"Yes Soul, an admission process to see how you two will adjust to being partners!"

"Uh, details please." Soul coughed awkwardly. He didn't know this thing called an admission process, it sounded like you had to pay something to actually become partners. This sounded quite ridiculous to even him.

"Well before you are even given any clearance of being a Weapon and Meister pair you have to go though the admission process of our school. It is a trial period, basically." Shinigami explained.

"Well that sounds easy."

"Far from it kid." Spirit coughed, his smugness made him slightly irked about this 'trial period'.

Shinigami nodded while explaining. "This also decides whether or not you got what it takes to be a Meister and weapon pairing at Shibusen. At our school we don't blindly take anyone without knowing that they can handle the well being of the world on they're shoulders."

Well at least he's blunt.

"Oh yes, this sounds really easy."

"Soul I have no doubt we'll both clear the process. It was fairly easy for both my mother and father so I have faith in both of us." Maka offered.

"Well alright if that guy can do it I sure as hell know I can." Soul mocked the death scythe with ease while the man seethed in his general direction. "But what exactly do we have to do?"

"Get your first pre-Kishin soul." Shinigami said.

"That should be easy." Offhandedly he commented dryly.

**So I thought this was the best place to leave it at and to be truthful I'm having trouble with this 'admission process' I mean Black Star, as mentioned in the Manga didn't get his first soul for a very long time. So wouldn't it be safe to say that he didn't pass any admission process? Also wouldn't it be safe to say that I made up this admission process just for the sake of this story to go in a direction I think you'll all like? **

**Maybe…**

**Oh well this is AU! ~ 8D – I mean hey you all found out in the Manga that Soul's actually family is *SPOILER'S AHOY* are…not what they are in this story. But EH, this is AU. So I'll be blunt, this story at the very best might not go places that the Manga has gone. It would only cause immense problems if I stick directly to the Manga for one thing I might say in here, like let's **_**just**_** say I made Eibon a girl and he actually turned out to be a guy in the Manga. Well not that I'm saying that I did, it's just an example. ANYWAYS and that new tidbit could throw off like, 20, 30 chapters! WHAT IF WE FIND OUT THAT MAKA IS ACTUALLY IN LOVE WITH BLACK STAR??? That'll throw off like…40 CHAPTERS!!? Not that I'm saying that she is…that's just wrong*snort* well no it's cute actually…*IS STABBED***

**OH GOD I'M SORRY, SORRY! *bleeds***

**Yeah but know that this won't directly follow the Manga's direction BUT any thing mentioned in the Manga will definitely be written about in here. Like let's say that…*thinks something logically plausible to happen*…that uh…*TEN MINUTES LATER*…I don't know BUT IT WILL BE IN HERE D8**

**Some how…**


	15. Heyoh!

**Two months later and she finally updates. SHAME, SHAME ON ME. I'm so sorry, and really, REALLY sorry that I didn't reply to the last chapters reviews...I kept on saying. "Oh well I'll reply to the reviews when the next chapter comes out! Which should be in a weeks time! Mwhahahaha!" *CUE TWO MONTHS LATER* "OH CRAP";3; I really adore all the reviews I get and when you review this time I'll FER SURE TAKE THE TIME TO ANSWER BACK! I love you all!**

**Uh, well okay here's the next chapter. I just want you guys to know that I will not give up on this story! NEVER. It's too epic in my mind to just leave to rot...I have to finish this! So if it seems like I've left this, I haven't. I promise I'll never will. And the last thing and then you can read. I'm currently looking for a beta reader! I feel like my grammar completely sucks and a beta reader would be awesome! Of course I would like some one whose a big fan of the story. Message me if anyone is interested!**

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 15**

After what he cited as an exhausting battle of wits, guts and balls he was fully satisfied that he gave Maka's father a good run for his well being. Nodding satisfied as the man finally fled his room, he was now left with only Maka. The death God, Shinigami left them quite a while ago. He felt proud, he won, and he made it through the conversation! He felt awesome, he felt great he felt…really tired. Why the hell was he thinking like this?

"I guess that settles things…I should be going, hmm?" Maka mused, shuffling a bit with her shirt. She had a red blush heating her face that he questioned what she was so embarrassed about.

"I guess if you want to." He drawled a bit but really he didn't want to come right out and say for her to get out. As lethargic as he was, he remembered his manners…well somewhat.

"You sure you don't need anything, water maybe?"

"No."

"Are you cold, I could get you a blanket?"

"No it's alright."

"How bout an extra pillow, those ones look flat."

"Their fine,"

"Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Are you annoyed?"

"No."

"I mean my father didn't rub you the wrong way did he?"

"No."

"What about Shinigami, you didn't seem to like him."

"No."

"What you don't like Shinigami-sama?"

"No."

"Why aren't you questioning about the honorific?"

"No."

"Don't you wanna know if I'm, wait are you listening to me?"

"No."

"You're obviously tired I should leave."

"No."

"Jeez Soul this is all rather pointless."

"Yes." The last few minutes were brain numbing for him. He cited that Maka was annoying, or a worrywart. He paused at the analogy and stopped himself from getting the mental image, since he was tired as it were. If he wasn't he would be imaging that Maka had a big, ugly, disgusting wo—

"I'm leaving."

"Thank god." He slumped into his pillows.

"Hey I was just trying to be nice, in case you got lonely or something!" She fussed to him and nonchalant, he shrugged his shoulders.

"Sorry I'm thinking of other things."

"Like?"

"Comparisons…whatever I'm just thinking about you." That wasn't far from the truth.

"Me? What are you thinking about that involves me, and comparisons?"

"I said whatever and then you're name, so it's a different context, get it?" He waved his hands around.

"Right, but so your thinking of me still, so what are you thinking about?" What was up with her and all these questions? Whatever, he would answer truthfully if it meant she would just go away.

"How tired you look, I'm worried you're going to fall over soon."

"That's…so nice—"

"And that you're going to get ugly black bruises underneath your eyes."

"Oh."

"Yes."

"That's mean." She pointed out, sounding herself slightly miffed.

"A little," he replied offhandedly.

"Well that's all I can ask for I guess…" Maka now went to the side of his bed and he honestly thought she was going to pull up a chair or something much worse than staying…_hugging_ _him_. Oh dear Death God the horror! He gave a little shiver for hugging was not really his forte, but hey he was all up for leaning into her and entering in her personal space. Oh he liked doing that. Hugs of course were different they involved something contrasting to the situation. To what he had no idea himself, only he cared little for it.

"What?" He asked as she paused to glance up at him, she seemed transfixed by his sheets again. And he sure as hell wasn't up for another tug of war. He felt tired and drained as it were.

"Have a good rest, I think were moving in together when you're allowed out of here."

"Say what?" Honestly could she repeat that again, he sure as heck misheard her? I mean she just didn't say that they were going to be living together now did she?

"We're moving in together, it's mandatory for partners."

"Why?" He squinted at her.

"Well what better way for us to get to know each other than living with one another? When you take on a partner you have to learn to trust them, have your complete faith in them and if we can't get a long while living together, there's little hope of us working well on the battlefield." She sounded obnoxiously bright about the situation. He wondered if she knew that when you said battlefield, you had the chance on dying on said battlefield…he scratched that thought away and went back to the situation at hand.

"Well that's…yeah." He didn't know what else to say but she gave a little cheerful nod and yet again she paused to glare at his blankets. He watched her now, slightly wondering yet again what she was thinking about. So now that she mentioned that . . . was she rearing up for a hug now? He shivered yet again.

"You're shivering, are you cold?" She murmured.

"Yeah and I rather keep my blankets thank you very much." She gave him this blank look so he couldn't read if she was angry with him or sadden that he didn't want to play tug of war with her again. He went with the latter because again she was looking at his blankets. I mean she did seem like the moping type. And he wasn't the type to give in.

Now after a few minutes of this he finally gave in, he didn't think he would but he did. He must be really out of it.

"Here." He shoved the blankets in front of her and grabbed one end and held on to it.

"What?"

"Well don't you want these?"

"No…why would I want your blankets?" Again another blank look, so he didn't know what she was thinking. Then again he didn't know what he was thinking either.

"I dunno; wait why are you still here?" He was so confused it wasn't even funny; well not that it would be in the first place but…yeah he was confusing himself so he stopped to stare at her.

"I need to do something."

"If it's hugging me, I suggest you don't, I don't like hugs."

"I wasn't going to hug you!"

"Oh." It was quiet again.

"Kiss me?"

"NO!"

"Oh good because I doubt I would like that either."

"What's wrong with you?" She seemed annoyed.

"I'M TIRED, I'm sorry that I can't think straight…or right…or…yeah."

"I'm sorry, here." She now stretched out her hand.

"What?" He asked while questioning the hand; he knew it just wasn't safe.

"Shake it! Jeez your so…"

"Tired, no shit." He grasped her outstretched hand and shook it.

"I was going to say an idiot."

"Ouch that hurt Maka." He faked a grimace, which surprisingly she rolled her eyes at. He hoped that she wasn't catching onto his antics.

"Good night Soul." With that she dropped her hand and turned from him.

"Yeah, night." He whispered and with that she was gone. Rather quickly if he would say so, he honestly thought she would be here all night. He blinked and glanced to the window, to see sun shining through. Oh yeah it was just the middle of the day wasn't it? He mused while flopping back into his pillow. Glancing around the room, it was dimly lit and with amusing posters on health plastered on its walls.

He was now alone, left to his thoughts, his musings, and his ravings. His insanity. He slightly blanched internally at that thought. But remained passive on the outside with his eyes half open. Right here, right now he didn't feel watched and he was glad but still he didn't allow for any other emotion to show. So while he waited for sleep to come he overviewed his situation. He managed to finally get Maka to agree to be partners with him. He met the Death God and seemed to somehow bypass him. Honestly he thought that the Shinigami was going to denounce him as a traitor or something along those lines, and hall him off to jail.

But he didn't, he was safe and sound. He was alive too, which brought him to those partners he met, who almost killed him and Maka. Right then and there he started to seethe but he remained stiff and without a hint of anger on his face, nor his body. All he could do was question them and how the heck they ended up in Death City. Wasn't it in the middle of nowhere? Where were they hiding now? Obviously someone was hiding them in Death City, I mean if they were out in the desert they would be frying about now. What with all the black the both of them were wearing.

He made a face and realized he showed emotion. He cracked a smile, oh he did it again. He thought back to their outfits, and smirked now. He thought about when he hitched that girls skirt up and started to laugh now and it all felt so good. He started laughing so hard he started to tear up. That's when he realized that maybe he was holding in some things. He was still laughing now, but frowning and squeezing his eyes together, and tearing up. This was bad.

Now he was holding his arms around his middle and laughing so hard it hurt. He could use it as an excuse for the tears, he guessed. But still he laughed that it got hard to breathe and he started to get scared. Really scared that he started to think about a lot of horrible things, it now wasn't funny anymore. It was disgusting where he was, what he was doing but the laughter wouldn't stop even though all of this was horrible. He rolled to his side and pain was all around him now that he gripped the sheets hard. He stopped laughing but now was gasping for breath and shuddering at the pain.

"Poor boy..." That voice was a familiarity that he missed but he remained pressed to the bed, holding the sheets tight like they were his lifeline now. "Everything getting out of proportion?" She mused beside him, bending down to whisper in his ear.

He could only gasp.

"What? Did you say something?" Her voice was velvet to his ears that he clutched the sheets and his fingers dug into his skin now but again he could only gasp. "I can't hear you Soul; you're going to have to speak up."

"H-hh—" He wheezed.

"Pardon my boy?" She was playing with him but he couldn't even see her anymore, she was just a giant blob of black spots. The room was too dim to make out anything else.

"H-hh, h-hh—" He couldn't say it there was little breath for him.

"Well you have been such a good boy, I think I should treat you to some air. ~"

It was rather simple, and quick. The echo of her snapping her fingers together were loud in his ears and before he knew of any change. He was back to normal. He could breathe. The relief that washed over him was evident as he collapsed, hunched over himself. His fingers loose against the covers as he smiled weakly.

"Where's my thank you?" He blinked in acknowledgement toward Arachne. While she propped her arms against her hips and bending down to his level gave him a look. The look was passive but the hint of annoyance trickled passed the retinas.

"How'd you do that?" He questioned.

"Soul that little moment of yours was all in your head."

"In my head?" She gave a nod while straitening upwards. "It felt real." His voice was dry and he gulped in memory of it.

"Well it was but getting rid of the fear was all too easy for someone like me."

"What does that mean?" She was way too vague with her answers.

"The notion of one's mental state is crooked in design, fabricated in ideas."

"Eh?"

"One's allusion to what a state of shock brings can be circulated through the mind leading to an upset in the brain's nervous system. First step is a break down of your reality. The next step is death and the last step is…well I'm unsure of what the last step is. Maybe one day you can help me figure that out hmm?"

"I'll say again, eh?"

"You allowed your emotions to take control and that faltered the reactions in your mind. You had a panic attack."

"You could've just said that."

"Hmm, what joy would that bring?"

"Hmm, I dunno…how bout…mine?!"

"Again, what joy would that bring me?"

"Ahhh…" He ran his hands through his hair completely and immensely annoyed. She hummed to the side at him, taking all the joy she could at his frazzle like state. What was up with her? Sadistic woman…

"Hmm enough fun for now, you didn't think I came down here just to save your life did I? It's all business now so pay good intention, Soul Eater." The way she enunciated his name irked him to the core, it gave him this kind of wavering feeling that he would try to ignore. It wasn't something he cared for, as were a lot of things he didn't understand. Usually it was the stuff that started up in his chest. Conflicting emotions, damn them.

"Right, right but of course?" He adjusted to a more sitting up position as his shoulder's looped downwards. He bit off a more snide response, just wanting to past back into a euphoric sleep, even though he had been knocked right out for over nine. Shrugging slightly, Arachne circled to the other side of his bed. He watched with half guarded eyes as the sun's rays crossed paths with her form, only to pass right through. He remembered that she was probably only a hologram of magic right about now.

"But first I would like to congratulate you on almost dying, in just a one day too. You have quite the lucky soul now don't you?" Opening his mouth in reply she simply shushed at him. The action making him squint a frown at her. "Also on acquiring a relationship with the girl, all well and done on your part and you were such the gentlemen about it weren't you?"

"Don't tell me you've been spying on me?" He concluded of her analysis, he even slacked a languid slap to his cranium for good measure. Letting her know through his body's actions he did not care for such a thing.

"Enough with the congratulations I don't think your poor ego can handle it." That lady didn't even bat an eyelash to his question! He crossed his arms in utter annoyance to the fact. Avoiding the question probably meant that she did…he wondered if she spied on him ALL the time like when he was bent over Maka, his meeting with the Death God AND when's he's in the shower…

EGAD! HE WAS NOT SAFE! His eyes screwed up in embarrassment as he tried to ignore his statement. Arachne wasn't some perv…was she?

"Such a cute kid…" She said in an after thought kind of voice. He simply blanched at her while making the move of grabbing some blankets to cover his under aged body. Yes, UNDER AGED. She seemed to quirk her eyebrow in amusement before giving a shake of her pale face, her eyes now piercing into his. "No more antics, I hate for such childish things. What I came here to tell you is that I want you to keep yourself safe."

"Safe?" He questioned, confused at the demand.

"Yes, stay low. Live the student life set out by Shinigami-sama and most of all don't do anything foolish. The confrontation with the Death God left you vulnerable, more than anything he has probably seen the state your soul is in, he knows of the darkness filled deep within your heart. The only reason he isn't acting on it is because he probably deemed you as safe. Maybe even a confounded soul that he's set on purifying, sick man." Soul didn't know how that would qualify as being sick…

"But most of all stay close to the girl. It seems that my actions are being perceived by some of my enemies."

"Enemies, as in?" He made motions for her to continue but she gave another shake of her head.

"No one you need to worry about." The little smirk she gave him settled him enough that he didn't think on the subject anymore.

"Wait this all dandy and what not, I mean the school life. Cause God would only knows that I have lived such a poor and messed up life of a lie!" He faked empathy for himself, finding the whole school life a bit too boring for his taste. Arachne practically snorted at him, snorted!

_Pfft_…

"Well if you're up for another challenge I would gladly give you one." Arachne offered with that velvet voice of hers. Her words piqued his interest dramatically that he gave a quick solemn nod.

"Maka…is a rare type of girl, if you haven't noticed something holds her back. Your job if you wish to take, shall be to crack that awful shell of hers and bring out a little Maka that would be fun to play with." Fun…to play with? What crack was this woman on? He questioned.

"Erm sounds good but I honestly don't get where you're coming from." He replied honestly.

"I'm betting that girl hasn't ever killed anyone." At that, his mouth made an "O" look as he nodded furiously.

"Yes exactly that. Honestly I think when she does she should take some sort of joy in it, besides it'll be all easier in the end when the time comes."

"To use her?" He questioned vaguely as a glaze look entered into his orbs. He quickly refocused his eyes back onto Arachne, not trusting them one bit.

"Yes." Those were her last words as she disappeared completely, finally leaving him with her simple answer, emotionless she was about it. Like she didn't care. Well just because she didn't, doesn't mean that _he_ didn't. He sighed now. Well all he could hope for that it was quick.

It was safe to say that even he wasn't happy with his own answer.

-------

It was a few days later, with going in and out of a dreamless sleep. He was allowed to leave the school. Nygus fussed over him and asked him questions about where he lived, if it was close to a hospital or anything like that. He simply replied that it wasn't like he was going to die anytime soon. Well at least he hoped he wasn't going to.

As he was confronted by a slightly pissed off Black Star and worried Tsubaki he felt the need to gag. So he tried to convince himself that he did, cause saying his heart felt in a knot was not gay, at all. Nope.

"So did they stitch you up all good and stuff?" Black Star was as loud as ever but he managed to get pass his slightly above average vocal cords.

"Yes Black Star, they stitched me up all good and…stuff." He gave a tight nod.

"Sweet can I see it?" His question caught him slightly off guard.

"No, why would you want to see it?" Soul gave him a glare as if he was embarrassed, which he wasn't. He just didn't feel like lifting up his shirt right now. Seemingly even though he said no to showing him and questioning as to why, Black Star ignored him. In favor of grabbing his clean black shirt, which he found lying at his feet one morning, and proceeded to lift up his shirt, right over his head. Inspecting his chest. He heard Tsubaki groan but didn't see her face, only thinking she probably was slapping a hand to her brow, in embarrassment for her partner and her.

Soul kind of just stood there.

After a few moments of having his bare chest being stared at, he heard an "Ahh…" noise from Black Star as the kid dropped his shirt. Soul simply shuffled the fabric back down, patted his chest, slowly turned to the idiot and gave him a good whack to the head.

"Don't do that again you fag." He muttered simply.

"What?! I'm not a fag! I just wanted to see." He exclaimed, suddenly jumping up and down.

"Right and I love drinking Sunday morning tea and having parties with stuff animals." It was funny at how serious he sounded and how quiet it got after that statement.

"Hey look I'm not like that and I mean dude if you like doing that shit, it's completely up to you." Black Star gave him a good pat as he did a really gruff kind of cough.

"How did it go from me questioning your masculinity to mine being wondered about?" He went quiet. "Enough with the gay jokes let's not go there again!" He muttered angrily, stalking away from the two. Obviously no one got his humor.

"Hey you brought it up." Black Star laughed at him while trailing behind him.

"Jeez leave me alone." He yelled back. Obviously he was ignored again as Black Star ran into him, swinging an arm around his shoulder. The guy started to whisper into his freaking ear, he questioned if some sort of sweet nothings were going to be said. At that he mentally blanched while going a bit stiff.

"Anyways I've seen that Maka chick has been giving you the _look_." For some reason Black Star was great at changing topics, he was shameless.

"I'm surprised that you even know what the _look_ is..." His words trailed off as he thought about it. "What is the _look_?"

"You don't know what the _look_ is?" Black Star replied, giving him a look of befuddlement at best.

"Well you're placing so much emphasis on it, _it_ must be important." So he told himself, his logic was flawless after all. At this Black Star gave a suspicious look behind them both to glance at Tsubaki, who simply raised her eyebrows at him.

"Um, Tsubaki do you mind leaving us alone for a bit? Ya know guy stuff?" He did an awkward laugh and Tsubaki gave a timid smile.

"No problem, I'll see you two around then." With a tilt of her head she turned and walked off. Soul was sort of left with a look of "oh crap" while her back disappeared from view. He questioned why he didn't call out for her to stay. I mean honestly leaving him alone with this moron? Someone would surely die and it sure as hell was not going to be him and you can probably guess who.

His eyes trained on that random passerby…

"OKAY it's time for a crash course on the…LOOK." Black Star trained him on with a look and he hoped it wasn't this…other _the look_ he kept talking about.

-------

Maka felt like…like something! Shinigami knows what the heck she was feeling; she just felt something and the feeling made her completely unaware of her own conscious. She vaguely questioned if her sub-conscious was trying to show her something. Then she noted that she was only confusing herself.

"So confused…" She muttered.

"Why so?"

"I think I'm worried about this admission process." She was completely unaware of who just asked her that and why she answered aloud but she was glad to see that it was just Kidd. His eyes were half open as always and with those bright golden orbs of his, she questioned the sudden lightness she got from looking at them.

"Jeez I can ask you what you had for breakfast this morning and you'd still probably answer me…even if I was a complete stranger."

"Are you kidding, I so knew it was you just by your voice." Stalking away from him she steadied her pace so he could follow her.

"Hmm, I'll take your word for it…" He now paced right beside her. She offered a smirk while he mirrored the same smile. "So you look better than you did a few days ago…"

"Hah! So do you…" She loved how he went completely stiff at her comment.

"Yeah well after…some rest and some food and uh…seeing you…I was better, yep much better." Kidd replied while straightening his tie, he even managed a somewhat awkward cough to the side.

"Well, that's good. I don't need to be worrying about two boys." Maka shrugged her hands into her jacket pockets, a light yellow that complimented her hair. Meanwhile she wore some pink sweats and had her hair down; she was enjoying her weekend in stride what with her baggy clothes.

"Two boys…who else are you worrying about?" Kidd meanwhile was wearing his note worthy black suit, even if it was the weekend he didn't bring out his comfort clothes unless he planned on doing some sort of sport related event.

"Oh just some kid I met one dark night and who happened to get stabbed in the back while protecting me…who else am I talking about?" She breezed out.

"Him."

"Yes, him, my partner." For some reason Kidd seemed…flustered? Or was it apprehensive about Soul, even though he never met him. It was a mystery to her why Kidd would go stiff and his eyebrows would knit together at the mere mention of him. She would have expected the opposite; shouldn't there be some gratification for him saving her life? Well whatever it was she deemed that it wasn't her place to go asking him about it. She could just be paranoid but…the look on his face made her think otherwise.

"Well…hmm…" Kidd murmured.

"Yeah?"

"Where you going? I can walk you there." Kidd offered while retaining that old look to his eyes.

"Oh, well I'm actually going to Soul's apartment, you know just to have a few words with him." Again with Soul's mention, Kidd went a bit stiff in his walk, the only note of his struggle was how slow his pace got. His face just remained passive.

"Interesting, it's about time I met him don't you think?" Kidd squeezed his eyes shut while stretching out a smile. Maka remained oblivious to the tightness of it only to get thrilled.

"Really? You want to meet Soul?"

"Sure, why not? He did save your life, got to show my gratitude." Maka was passed thrilled and absolutely beaming.

"Great! I think you might like him…" She paused reviewing her own experiences with Soul. "Well I _hope_ you'll like him, he's different but I think…he has something really great in him." At that she grabbed Kidd by his wrist and started to run with him in toll.

-----

"You gotta be kidding me." Soul stared at the blue haired dumb ass like he grew an extra head.

"Nope!" He yelled out in pride, simply oblivious to the look that he was getting from him. That sure as hell wasn't that other look he kept talking about, oh hell no.

"Look…" He sagged visibly. "I don't know how this look would even APPLY to Maka but you must be dope up to shit if you think that she of all people would give me that _look_."

"Well since you didn't know what that look was before, you'll be able to see it now, it's a promise!" The guy suddenly stuck out his pinky finger like he was supposed to lock his own pinky with it. Of course he wouldn't do such a thing.

"Uh yeah, totally all thanks to you…" Soul replied rolling his head to the side and shooting Black Star with a dry look…if anything.

"Aren't I great?"

"Yes, the bestest friend in the whole wide world." Sarcastic and bored he adjusted to his sitting position against the bench by bending forward a tad bit and situating his palm underneath his chin.

"Really? You think of me as you're…bestest buddy?" For some reason his sarcasm was completely missed by Black Star.

"Oh yes, you're the one and only bud for me."

"WHOA this is going down in the history books! My first minion!" The bright yellow stars in Black Star's eyes must have been some sort of illusion.

"Erm…wait what?" He questioned.

"Well no not minion, sorry, bestest buddy. Ahh I have to mark down this date! We should have some sort of celebration too now that I think about it…" Black Star trailed off while giving this thoughtful expression.

"Hey no need for that..." Soul quickly got up and waved a bit to grab Black Star's attention. He stopped him by dropping a hand on his left shoulder. "Just, uh, keep it to yourself."

"What? And not tell anyone that you're friends with someone as great as me? That's dumb!" He yelled, shrugging off his hand.

"Well we don't need to have a big celebration about it…"

"Heh…if you're embarrassed this will get you over it." Black Star gave a wink and jumped atop the bench. Soul was left questioning what he was going to do.

"HEY GUESS WHAT PEOPLE!?" Black Star shouted and Soul slowly edged back. "ME AND THIS DUDE HERE, YEAH, WERE BESTEST BUDDIES! WE DO EVERYTHING TOGETHER! YOU WON'T FIND GREATER FRIENDS THEN US!" Black Star proclaimed, earning a crowd.

"I bet you two do everything together!" Someone shouted from the midst of the crowd. Soul just gawked.

"OH HELL YEAH WE DO, WERE BESTEST BUDDIES!" Black Star made a lurch and grabbed on to his shoulders and yanked him up on top of the bench. Soul was just left wide eyed at the large amount of people staring at him, some laughing, some shaking their heads and others had questioning looks.

"Yeah? Well I bet you two take showers together, I bet you both do that!" Who was yelling this? Soul questioned his eyes screwing up in embarrassment.

"HUH? SHOWERS? DO BESTEST BUDDIES DO THAT TOGETHER?!"

"Oh yeah totally!"

"THEN WE SHALL DO THAT SOMETIME!"

"NO-OO!" Soul gave a yelp at the idea and tried to get Black Star to pry his hands off him.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"WILL YOU STOP YELLING?" Soul yelled back.

"I CAN'T WHEN MY VOICE GET'S THIS HIGH I CAN'T STOP IT?!"

"LET GO OF ME!" The crowd was left laughing their asses off at their antics. The only thing he heard from the crowd besides his and Black Star's yelling was a simple...

"Soul?" That delicate of a murmur wasn't Black Star and its pitch wasn't that of Tsubaki.

"Maka?" He turned to glance down and lo behold there she was. Her hair down from her pigtails and wearing some brightly colored clothing. She had her head tilted to the side and her eyebrows halfway up her forehead.

"Well this is a much more pleasant version then I expected to see of this Soul character." Soul noticed that Maka seemed to be holding hands with some stiff in a suit.

"What are you doing Soul?" Maka questioned, ignoring the comment made by the guy behind her.

"Erm…you see there's a logical explanation behind all this." He tilted his head away from the grip like hold of Black Star's arm and searched his brain for an answer.

"AH MAKA, GUESS WHAT? ME AND SOUL ARE BESTEST BUDDIES, WE TAKE SHOWERS TOGETHER!"

"And…THAT'S NOT IT." Soul yelled out while giving Black Star a good hit to his cranium.

**--------**

***Cough* Yes, well that was...not planned it sort of just all came out? YES, anywho I HOPE that you enjoyed this chapter and I was planning on adding more...but the beginning of the next chapter fit the next scene just perfectly and I had to cut it off! If you laughed your ass off you should review ;D**


	16. Edit the Sad Parts

An update? So soon? Hmm, well just figure it like this, it's a treat! And also if I update once a week like this, the suspense will be more…AWESOME. Mwha! Anyways onto the chapter itself. It's one of the longest of all the chapters written, I think its 19 pages long on Word. I hope you enjoy it! I had lots of fun writing it. I guess there are some very CRACKTABLOUS moments but I hope at least you might smile during them.

**Another advertisement. BETA IS WANTED if you're interested message me!**

So…beware of all the mistakes and I'm so sorry…I hope you'll understand it all! Cheers lovies!

**His Dark Place**

**Chapter 16**

"Like I said before, I'm more or less glad that he's gay! I totally support your weapon's choice of lifestyle." Kidd happily clapped his hands together.

"Not…**GAY**." Soul yelled grumpily, his arms crossed over his chest. At the moment the four of them sat in the middle of some diner. Soul and Black Star seated by each other, across from Maka and this new addition, Kidd, Death the Kidd if he wanted to be technical…

"How can bestest buddies be gay with each other?" Black Star asked nonchalant, while playing with his straw. He currently was trying to get it to sit vertically upright on his nose. For some odd reason he was accomplishing the task.

"A lot of best friends can be lovers." The boy named Kidd offered. Soul noted how the guy's eyes flickered to Maka. Who seemed oblivious of such a thing as she watched Black Star with some sort of vague curiosity, she finally blinked when the straw fell from Black Star's nose.

"Damnit." Black Star muttered as he tried again, this caught Maka's attention once more.

"That's not suspicious at _all_." Soul directed his voice to Kidd who turned an eye to him.

"Pardon?" Kidd asked.

"You heard me." Soul's eyes drifted to the passive Maka and Kidd followed knowingly.

"I don't see what you're getting at." The guy's eyes flashed in a menacing sort of way but Soul ignored it.

"Nor do I." Soul replied flatly glancing at Black Star. Kidd smirked.

"So you're not gay?" Kidd drawled, shifting around the ice cubes in his glass of coke.

"No, I'm not gay and if I was, I sure as hell wouldn't be for this kid." Soul tilted his head towards Black Star.

"TEN SECONDS, I BET I CAN GET TO TWENTY—DAMNIT."

"Black Star you shouldn't talk while you're doing that!" Maka ordered and with a solemn nod Black Star started again.

"So you're Soul Eater?" Kidd drawled, seemingly trying to change the conversation. Whilst still playing with the ice cubes.

"Yes, I'm Soul Eater."

"Any history I should know of Soul Eater?" Nonchalant the guy shot him with a glare. His eyes showed that he knew something of him, but as to what he had not the vaguest clue.

"No, and there's no need to call me Soul Eater, call me Soul." Flatly he mirrored the glare with one of his own.

"Soul." Kidd drawled.

"Death the Kidd, huh?" He didn't know why he felt like he should be wary of that name.

"Yes, but you can call me Kidd."

"Kidd." He replied.

"Yes." For the next few minutes it was more or less like this, both of them glaring at one another. There was something about Kidd that Soul did not like one bit. He shook a little in seat at the thought of all his centered hate toward the guy. Practically steaming in his seat as neither of them blinked a wink.

Yes, he hated this kid; he hated him with a fiery passion. He felt like punching him with a good left hook. All because of one thing, _one_ rather simple thing. His eyes flickered over to Maka and then back to Kidd. Yes, one very simple thing that made him loathed the guy's very well being.

He was wearing a suit.

He hated people who wore suits; it always bugged him for some inane reason! Maybe it was all those snobbish bastards that he would meet at his family's parties. Or how he looked like a complete stiff in one. He did not know but when you wore a suit, you just radiated off an energy of "_oh look at me I think I'm better than you!_" attitude. Which couldn't be the reason for why some people wore suits, but that's how he thought about it! Now as the glare fest continued, Black Star and Maka were completely unaware of the wicked energy scorching from their very souls.

Nope those two were completely entranced by a certain _straw_.

"Holy crap! One-hundred-DAMNIT!"

"Black star you would've gotten one-hundred and one if you didn't talk." Maka shrugged backwards with a dismayed sigh. Meanwhile the straw fell down to the floor underneath the table's booth.

"Eh? Soul? Kidd what are you two doing?" Finally noticing them both, Maka glanced from the two seeing how they were both in a death lock of glaring, glowering at each other like they were preparing to kill one another. Well that's what it looked like to him, but Black Star thought otherwise.

"And you call me gay." Nonchalant he swigged back his drink and at this both Kidd and him blanched and shot a glare toward the oblivious Black Star. "Oh snap, better get my straw." Black Star immediately ducked his head underneath the table and bumped his head right into my knee. Kidd paused with the glaring and simply smirked at the sight.

"Yes, gay…" He folded his hands before him while throwing a sneer in his direction. Soul seethed.

"IDIOT, get your head back up here!" He grabbed Black Star by the shoulders and hauled him up.

"DUDE, my straw!" Black Star complained.

"That's gross; it was just on the floor Black Star." Maka chirped, taking a sip of her own drink.

"Hey, let me have yours then!" Black Star reached over the table and lurched for Maka's straw.

"Hey back off this is mine!" Maka shielded her drink from Black Star's prying hands and tossed a dirty look at him.

"Who is this idiot anyways?" Kidd whispered. Soul thought about sparing Kidd with the warnings but he duly noted that he deserved what was coming next.

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I AM? WELL I'M THE GREAT BLACK STAR!" Oh boy here we go. Nonchalantly Soul moved as much as he could in the tiny booth, away from the idiot.

"Erm…" More or less Black Star's yelling continued for at least several minutes. They were only a minute away from getting their asses kicked out of the diner when a timid voice spoke his name. We all turned to see Tsubaki with a small smile as she nodded in turn at each of the pairs of eyes on her.

"Ahh, Tsubaki! Where've you've been? You missed out on a lot!"

"I can see that Black Star…" Shyly Tsubaki ducked her head down as red blushed her cheeks.

"Erm, Kidd this is Tsubaki." For some reason the words slipped out. Soul guessed that Tsubaki was embarrassed because she didn't know the guy in front of her, that guy being Kidd…well that's what he guessed. And yes he needed a helluva long explanation to explain her discomfort…

"Nice to meet you Kidd…erm…yes Kidd." Her face twitched slightly like she wanted to add more but with a shake of her head she gave a polite bow, the always ever considerate Tsubaki. Soul mused, swigging back the rest of his cola.

"Ah so let me guess you must be the partner of…Black Star." Kidd murmured earning a polite nod from Tsubaki.

"Yes I hope he hasn't been causing much trouble for you. In fact if he has I'll gladly take him off your hands! Actually we really need to go anyways!" In a rush she made a dive for Black Star, practically lifted him from the booth and off they went. The slack look of complete surprise on Black Star's face was only mirrored by all of them.

It was all but quiet suddenly and with the abrupt leave of Black Star and the quick appearance of Tsubaki, Soul questioned if something was up. After a sigh Soul turned his attention back to Kidd and Maka, they both were giving him this strange look. He could only blink at them in question and noticed the tilt of Maka's head toward the door; he got what they were both trying to get at.

"Oh well…she probably forgot the key to their…apartment, or something. She's forgetful like that."

"Right." Kidd shot him a dry look that he fully ignored in favor of Maka, her eyes lit up while she snapped her fingers.

"OH that reminds me Soul, we should go to your apartment!" Maka offered.

"Sounds like a good idea, honestly hanging around so many people can get tiring. Let's go Maka."

"Hey, I'm coming along." Kidd raised his voice in sudden alarm.

"Yeah? Well you're not invited."

"She's not going anywhere with you _alone_." Soul did not like how he stressed on the alone part…

"Look she offered to go to my apartment, I kindly agreed that we should and she's up for it, aren't you Maka?" Sweetly, as most possible of him he gave Maka a gentle smile, causing her to nod dumbly.

"But…" Maka suddenly started saying.

"No buts were off!" Immediately jumping from his seat he simply made a reach for Maka's arm. He was just about to do the same thing that Tsubaki did to Black Star but as he made to haul her up, something else seemed to latch to her other arm.

_Pity_…

"Just a second, did you not hear me you fool? She isn't going by herself!" Suddenly Kidd yanked Maka back down into the booth. Maka herself seemed quite dazed by this.

"How the heck are we suppose to get to know one another all personally if we don't get some ALONE TIME." He himself yanked Maka right back up to her feet. Soul ignored the fact that his grip was getting a bit too tight and he fitfully ignored that he mentioned alone time in the same context of having both him and Maka having said alone time. _Weird_…

"Alone time? There is not going to be any personal alone time for you two!" If on cue he yanked her right back down.

"Pfft tug of war is it? I'll have you know that I beat Maka's ass at tug of war, and I'll sure as hell beat you two!" Soul made a grab for both of Maka's shoulders while pulling her right off her feet, surprisingly Kidd latched on.

"Let go…" Unexpectedly Kidd growled.

"You let go." He shot back.

"WILL YOU BOTH LET GO?" Soul was completely surprised that the blanket just talked…oh wait never mind it was just Maka but like that was any different.

"Shhh blanket, were busy right now."

"SOUL!" Soul was quite aware of Maka suddenly jerking away from him and right into Kidd's lap. He scrunched his nose in obvious disgust while turning from them. _Fine if she wanted to hang out with the weirdo with the…three vertical stripes on his head, that's fine by him._

"Whatever." Soul scoffed and made a beeline for the door. From behind him he heard the shuffling of both Maka and Kidd as they got up to follow.

"Wait you moron! Hear me out!" Maka ordered suddenly, Soul just completely ignored her in favor of the door as he yanked it open. He made sure to close it harshly as he stumbled away from the diner. For some reason those two bugged him, Maka and Kidd, he was completely unsure as to why and maybe that's what bugged him. Still he ignored Maka's calls for him to stop. Honestly bringing that guy along was a bad idea and even though he barely knew anything about Kidd. It was like he said, the guy radiated off this energy that he was better than you. He hated uptight snobs.

"Soul!" Maka called once more before he felt someone tug at his wrist.

"What?" Completely snapping at her and staring her down with a glare. Maka in turn only tightened her grip on him.

"Look I don't see what your guy's problem is, but get over yourselves! Soul, I need to go over some of the living arrangements and talk to you about the admission process AND I brought Kidd along because," she paused to glance back at him "because he wanted to thank you for saving me." Maka finished lamely, seemingly defeated over such an innocent little thing.

Soul batted an eyelash at her while shrugging into a slouch. He felt like an idiot. Well not because of getting pissed over Kidd, oh no that little bastard could go die in some hole for all he cared. No, he felt shitty because he acted like a child in front of Maka. Honestly what he and Kidd just pulled reminded him of two kids fighting over a toy.

Maka was not just some toy, he was HIS toy. But yeah he didn't need to tell her that and that little analogy suddenly irked him…but he wasn't lying about feeling like an idiot over fighting over her. He felt ashamed that she was aware that they both were. Suddenly to him it was like he didn't want her to have an idea of his sudden attraction to her. The attraction being that he felt possessive when Kidd was around. Which was weird also, seeing how this was the first time he met him.

But yes, he wasn't going to lie, he was a kid. His thoughts trailed off to childish and his actions supported his decision making. He was such a child. This sudden epiphany was needed of course but he didn't like how he came across it in the middle of the street, with his partner staring dejected down to the sidewalk. He sighed.

"Oh, that's what he came to do!" Soul bellied out a laugh while shaking away Maka's grasp on him. "Hahaha, so where is it emo kid?"

"Emo kid?" Kidd's eyes twitched as if to suppress a glare.

"Soul…" Tiredly Maka stepped away from them both.

"Look, Soul Eater I'm grateful that you saved Maka's life, but I don't just feel comfortable having her go to your home…alone." Stretching out the most ridiculous fake smile in the history of the world, Soul raised an eyebrow in question.

"You should get comfortable with her being alone with me; we are going to be living together."

"I know that…" Kidd looked discomforted by the fact as he shrinked back visibly.

"Good, now if you'll excuse us." With a tilt of his head, Soul urged for Maka to follow. Only she stayed rooted in place, her eyes on the crest fallen Kidd. Oh jeez he was dealing with a bunch of girls…he sagged visibly. "Jeez, fine. If you want to come along, I guess you can…" Awkwardly turning from them both, from their obvious cheerful and most definitely wide smiles, he sauntered away from them.

"Thank you Soul Eater, I mean Soul." Kidd yelled to the back of him.

"Yeah, yeah whatever," Soul waved a carefree hand backwards and shrugged his hands back into his coat pockets.

_Just you wait Kidd; I'll get rid of you somehow. _

"So what exactly are you two to each other? You seem awfully friendly." Nonchalant Soul made a move to change the topic as he led them to his apartment.

"Friendly? Ah well me and Kidd…" Maka seemingly struggled to find the right words.

"Are best friends," Kidd seemingly did not.

------

"I don't get this."

"There's nothing to get, now get your ass in here before I change my mind."

"But I don't get it!"

"Oh Kidd please, let's just go inside…"

"But the symmetry, it's beautiful!" There were just so many frustrating and annoying things about Maka's best friend. That he slightly questioned if he was a bit queer, as flowers seemed to blossom around the boy as he stared at his apartment building and I mean his choice of words left little to the imagination.

"The pure beauty of it all, the balance, and hell even the colors are symmetrical if that's possible, oh Maka, look at the blue, the blue!" Yes, his choice of words made him want to punch him in the gut.

"Kidd…" Maka whined, a blush heating her cheeks as she tried to haul him inside.

"Hey leave him, if he wants to get friendly with the building that's okay with me." Soul gave a thumb ups while his face was slack with little emotion. "And meanwhile me and you can get a little friendly…"

"W-what?" Maka stuttered.

"WHAT?" Kidd yelped, coming out of his little episode, or whatever you called it.

"Jeez I'm kidding, and eh look I got him out of it! If he does it again I'm so going to say that you and I are going to do it."

"Soul!"

"What?"

"Don't say that; now look at what you did!" Soul stared down to the ground at the frothing and prone-like figure of Kidd. Soul didn't know if he was angry or upset at the idea. Whatever he was, Soul figured his should say stuff like that more, and maybe one day it could kill him!

Mischievous he cracked a grin. Oh that was a wonderful thought.

"Come on Kidd, he was just joking, weren't you _Soul_." Maka eyed him with a frown

"Oh dear god yes I was, who would want to do that shit with you?" Soul was completely off guard as a book smacked him square in the face. He tripped backwards in pain.

------

"That took too long…" Soul whined while tending to a book size bruise on his forehead. He was slumped at the table in his apartment while Kidd and Maka sat across from him. Surprisingly when he got home there was some ice in his fridge. He had no clue to where it came from but he did have a guess as to who might have put it there…

"Well don't say stuff like that again, you'll save yourself and Kidd the agony." Maka replied snidely as she patted Kidd on the shoulder.

"Do you know how incompletely not symmetrical that would be?" Kidd murmured dazed and disgusted.

"What would be Kidd?" Maka asked still patting him.

"Sex?" Soul questioned.

"How old are you?" Kidd questioned.

"Uh, fourteen why?"

"You're sick."

"Hey I'm not the one with the symmetry obsession."

Soul kind of went out of it for the next bit when another, maybe even larger book, smacked him dabbed in his cranium.

----

"Dear Shinigami-sama he's weird…" Maka murmured. Soul meanwhile was lying on the floor, slightly out of it and only knowing that his head was throbbing now. In two places.

"There's no doubt about that, I mean look he has no furniture." Another voice, Kidd's probably murmured back.

"Well…it's either I have to get used to it, or he has to work on it…"

"Please make him work on it, and get him some manners too. Oh and tell him to fix his hair, it's completely asymmetrical and thus disgusting." Maka _laughed_ and at _him_. Soul was more than annoyed for one; they were making fun of him, in his _own_ home. And two, they knocked him out and didn't even have the decency to make sure he was comfortable! He groaned as he sat up.

"He's awake." Kidd mused as they both went to him.

"You okay?" Maka asked.

"Yeah, super fine, anyone would be after getting knocked out." Soul shakily got up. "So…you two making fun of my living arrangements?" Indifferent he glanced to them.

"Yeah," they both replied.

"You know most people would try to cover up such a fact."

"We aren't like most people." Again they both replied.

"No shit?" He laughed while making a move to the kitchen table. There happened to be a mirror near the stove that he went to look at. He hissed at the two giant welts on his forehead. Maka giggled.

"Sorry." Soul flinched while shaking his head.

"I'll make sure not to say such things…"

"That would be great—"

"Around you, but behind your back would be best, eh?" Soul mused and noticed the threatening large, maybe even larger than the last book, being lifted into the air menacingly.

"Kidding…"

"You seem to kid a lot." Kidd muttered blankly.

"Eh it's what I do." That wasn't far from the truth.

"Well anyways…" Maka mused while sitting back down at the kitchen table. "We looked around and we both agree that the apartment is…pretty cool. It has two bedrooms and that's good, one for me and one for you." Maka cheerfully smiled at him, as Kidd took the seat beside her.

"Oh yeah about that, I thought you could just sleep on the couch." Maka's eye brow twitched at his comment.

"Well there happens to be _no_ couches in your apartment." Her hands clamped together on the table's top, he noticed her fingers were firmly grasped together. An obvious sign of her suppressing rage. Oh how he loved to make her tick.

"Actually there happens to be little to no furniture at all in your apartment, only a bed and a table." Kidd pointed out, Maka nodded in agreement.

"Ah well…about that…" He sat down himself at the table while figuring out some sort of lie. He just settled with the truth. "When I first came to Death City all I had was just the clothes on my back, what you see now is just the charity of a...very generous person."

"Oh…" Maka awkwardly looked away from him. He noticed how her hands unclasped and concluded that he could easily affect Maka's moods. He figured that as a good thing.

"Whatever I got a place to live and sleep so it's all cool." He nodded shrugging off what he just said.

"Interesting…" Kidd murmured out loud.

"What?"

"Ah, nothing just…now that we saw the apartment when about do you think you might get some furniture?"

"Sometime in the future but seeing how Maka has stuff from her home, I presume. We can fill it up, right Maka?" Soul murmured eyeing the suddenly quiet Maka.

"Yeah…"

"That all aside you also came here to talk about the admission process?" Soul asked.

"Yes, well I've been thinking about it and going over the finer details and I think that we should get this admission process out of the way as soon as possible. " With a firm nod, Maka met his gaze as he pondered over it.

"Sure, sure so how exactly do we start this admission process?"

"We first must talk to Shinigami-sama and ask for the mission. He most probably has selected one suitable for us both seeing how we are both new at this. Once we have the mission we set out and capture our target's soul, all under the supervision of Shinigami-sama."

"Supervision?" His eyebrows knitted together at the thought.

"Yes, supervision, your both newbie's, you don't honestly think that he'll not be watching you. The whole point of the admission process is to see how you handle danger and capturing a pre-Kishin soul." Kidd provided as an after thought. Soul didn't know if he felt comfortable with that.

"If we don't manage to capture the pre-Kishin soul, Shinigami-sama goes over the mission and highlights our best qualities and at the same time what we need to work on. If anything, we don't even have to capture the soul just as long as we work together and don't get killed." Maka finished in this textbook sort of voice.

"But if we do capture the soul?"

"We get an automatic pass." Maka murmured.

"Seems weird…"

"Weird? How so?" Maka questioned.

"Oh it's just different. I mean what if it's just a fluke? I mean capturing the soul."

"It won't be a fluke; perseverance is great in these situations." Maka replied.

"Yeah that's great and all but how do you think this working together will happen? Do you honestly think you can handle me? Have you ever thought about taking someone's soul? It involves killing someone; you think you can do that?" Soul stared at her, looking for any twitch of emotion, she seemed passive though.

"Don't be such a moron, as a Meister Maka knows her responsibilities she has towards Shibusen. Her father is the death scythe; she knows what his occupation is and what he does. We collect demonic souls so to save the world from falling into chaos; her perseverance and knowledge of that are her best qualities."

"I'm not a moron, I know of Shibusen teachings." Soul muttered with a hint of irritation. "But going through with the kill is a whole different matter and it may work out in theory, just swing and cut but I'm just asking if she's ready." Soul finished with a hiss. Kidd glared at him.

"You worried about me Soul?"

"Yes I am. I know you want to get this over and done with _and_ I'm fine with that but are you actually ready to go through all this?" He eyed her and noticed the hint of worry in her green eyes before she sighed.

"I'm sure of it Soul, besides I've been training for this since I was a child." Her voice ended the conversation completely, she was determined that's for sure and he guessed that was something he could admire. But her stubbornness of the situation could very well break her, but…when the time came he knew what he had to do. It was just a matter of getting her to do it too.

"Alrighty but one question first." Maka smiled

"Shoot."

"Do you know how to handle a scythe?" Soul was surprised when she grinned.

--------

"Damn, I got to go. Liz is going to get on my case if I miss supper again." Kidd shrugged before getting upwards and meanwhile as he did, flipped out a slim silver cell phone before punching in on the numbers. Obviously sending some sort of text to this unknown Liz person. Maka simply nodded.

"I suggest you get up bright and early tomorrow Soul, also get a good rest, tomorrow we'll go down to Shibusen."

"Don't we have school tomorrow?"

"Yes…but I can barely concentrate on anything, I can't honestly concentrate on school. Besides I bet Shinigami-sama will be thrilled that we want to start the admission process so soon."

"Right…"

"Which reminds me how are you feeling, are you even up for this?" Maka questioned.

"Well I bet after a good's night sleep I'll be fine, besides I've been lazing about lately." He rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Great, well we should be off; Papa is going to get worried if I don't go home soon. Heh, where'd the time go?" She smiled while slipping on her shoes.

"Like I know." Soul shrugged as Maka opened the front door. Kidd followed, still playing with his cell phone.

"It's been nice meeting you Soul." Kidd murmured, not even looking at him.

"Same." Stiffly he gave a nod as Maka watched them both from outside the apartment.

"So…see you around yes?" Kidd finally looked at him with his yellow irises before they blinked at the same time. Looking away from each other.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." With a simple wave the two of them left and Soul just stood there with the door opened. He himself wondered where the time went. After a few moments of this he pushed the door closed and stared at it. Thinking, pondering, doing what he was best at before turning to his empty apartment.

It would be nice to have another presence in here.

-------

Soul had nightmares last night, a lot of them, one after another, merging together and never ending. He thought he would never wake up. But he did and woke up in a lot of pain. His head was pounding at the front and his eyes were glued shut together. He tenderly rubbed at them and managed to get the left to open and stared at the ceiling. He lied in bed, blinking that one left eye over and over again before most of the pain was reduced to a dull thudding.

He got up.

He cleaned himself.

He ate.

His morning was cold and lonely and strangely enough he felt hungry for someone to be with him as he stared across the table to the empty chairs on the other side. He guessed it was weird having people in his apartment yesterday, he figured that his nightmares were centered around the shift and probably at the thought of having someone else here with him. Yeah, that was probably it.

He got up and cleaned his dishes and went to brush his teeth.

He left the apartment and went to school. He figured he should ask Maka when she would be moving in. Maybe he could come up with some sort of lie and say that she had to move in tonight. He didn't think he could handle another night alone in that apartment.

People affected him in the oddest of ways.

--------

"Soul…Maka…you sure you want to do this today? You still have school!" Shinigami-sama chirped with a bounce. Maka gave a nod.

"Yes Shinigami-sama, Soul and I just really want to get this over and done with. It's hard to concentrate on schooling not knowing if you should even be taking the courses." She offered, standing before the death god with a sense of elegance. Maka held ever bit of confidence in herself and she wanted Shinigami-sama to know it.

"Well…if you think you both are ready, what can I say?"

"You can say no!" Maka sighed as her father suddenly popped up right behind the towering Death God.

"Ah Spirit, did I not say you should stay out in the hallway?" Shinigami-sama turned to look down at her Papa with a tilt of his large mask.

"Yes! But you can't let them go out so soon! I doubt they haven't even practiced together, they can't take on a demonic soul!" Her Papa begged.

"Hmm. Well when do you think they might be ready?"

"Well…Maka surely needs to train some more with me, yes, yes and the boy? Ah well the boy should go to the library and read some books on boundaries or…OH how bout leaving my poor daughter alone!" Her Papa suddenly lurched forward and shoved his finger right at Soul. Who dutifully ignored him with a yawn. "HEY, are you even listening?"

"Wha--? Are we done, can we go now?" Soul questioned, obviously not listening.

"Why you…" Her Papa's eyes flashed red which was odd seeing how his eyes were blue…

"Spirit calm down! You should have faith in your daughter that she'll be able to handle herself." Shinigami-sama laughed and Maka stared admiring him.

"But…!"

"Ah no buts, Spirit. I have faith in them both that they will breeze right through the process. Besides we shall be watching their every move in case something bad happens." Maka could've sworn that Shinigami-sama was staring right at Soul but with empty sockets for eyes she couldn't know for sure.

"Thank you Shinigami-sama."

"I've known you since you were a baby Maka, I have no doubt that you will do well. SO just be careful, mind one another and if the situation gets too heavy it will be your decision to retreat, got it you two?"

In unison, both she and Soul agreed.

"Absolutely wonderful! Now the mission if you so choose to accept is to capture…"

----------

"How are you even related to that man?" Soul asked and Maka turned to him in question.

"Papa?"

"Yes, Papa…I doubt you're related to Shinigami…" Soul rolled his eyes as he stalked pass her.

"Ah well…Papa is just worried over my safety, you haven't really shown him a side of you that he could…respect?" She wondered while catching up with him.

"And you have seen a side of me that you respect?" There was this twinge of content within his vocals that made her smirk.

"Why yes…but sadly it's one you don't show too much."

"Eh?"

"That one time you saved me…well those two times you saved me, such chivalry…that's the Soul people should respect."

"Chivalry?" He scoffed. "Yeah that's what it was." He murmured and rolled his eyes again.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing~" With a grin he slouched a bit while shrugging his hands into his coat pockets. Soul strolled beside her in an ensemble of dark clothing.

"Is black the only color in your closet?" Maka questioned, studying his attire.

"Why yes, down to my underwear…shame isn't it?"

"Erm…yeah I guess." Maka coughed awkwardly noting that there was also this slightly nonchalant perverted side of Soul that made her always try to quell down a blush. "I mean I think…orange or yellow would look good on you." She pointed out as he raised a curious eyebrow at her. She waited a few moments for him to speak only for him chuckle. "What? What's so funny?"

"Yellow and orange? That sounds like a bad combination of colors don't you think?"

"It was just a suggestion!" She shot back annoyed, he simply smiled.

"Well looking at you it could be safe to say that you're also colorblind…"

"Also colorblind? What's that suppose to mean?"

"I mean a plaid skirt with a yellow top, talk about school girl." He gave another chuckle that she fully ignored.

"Oh har, har, for your information I like what I'm wearing."

"Obviously since you're walking around in it."

"Hah and what about you? You obviously don't like what you're wearing yet you're still walking around in it."

"Hey you want me to walk around naked?" He questioned and she instantly blushed crimson.

"N-n-no!" Stupidly she stuttered as he grinned.

"Thought so." Both her and Soul turned down the hallway and made their way out to the front of the school.

For the mission they were to capture the soul of Bernie Talon Keller who has taken residence in their very city! Astonished by such a fact, Maka questioned why she hasn't heard of such a man. Shinigami-sama told her that he has not killed anyone in Death City but has been running all over the states from authorities. Surprisingly he somehow came across their city and is currently hiding some where near the cemetery. As rumored by locals who have seen and heard some things coming from an abandon shack near by the grave yard. It could just be some sort of mistake but they were to investigate and capture Bernie Talon Keller if they were to pass the admission process. All they had on them was an address, and a picture.

Soul and Maka continued out of the school and after a few more minutes of walking in silence Soul spoke up.

"Hey Maka?"

"Yes Soul?"

"I like the color orange." Maka blinked while glancing to her partner and questioned his simple words.

"You like orange?"

"Yeah, I mean I don't mind the color so, sorry about the colorblind thing."

"Why you apologizing?"

"Aren't you mad?" He questioned.

"Pfft, no, why would I be?"

"Well you aren't talking…" He murmured.

"Can't we enjoy some silence, I mean it's comfortable." Confused she tilted her head at him as they started their way down the steps of Shibusen.

"It is?" He questioned.

"It is for me."

"That's…good." Soul mused and Maka giggled.

"You'd think it would be…" They continued on in silence before she spoke again. "You think you could go shopping with me?"

"Shopping with you?" He laughed. "What for?

"Clothes, obviously you need help."

"I could say the same about you Maka."

"Well we could also just browse around for the apartment; it's kind of bare in there."

"Oh."

"Yeah." They reached the bottom of Shibusen and again walked together in silence.

"That would be nice." He finally murmured and Maka beamed.

"I mean I think a bit of pink would brighten up the place!" Maka was quite aware of the stare Soul was giving her as she laughed. "Kidding!"

"Har, har."

"Hey look I can kid too." She gave a wink.

"I hadn't the clue, any more surprises?"

"Actually, yes." Soul nodded for her to continue. "I need to pick up some things from home."

"Alright, it's on the way right?"

"Erm, not really." She replied honestly.

"How far is it?" He questioned.

"About an hour walk."

"Ouch that'll shoot us for time." Maka nodded.

"But it's important." She offered and Soul sighed.

"I don't see why not, lead the way."

-----------

He wasn't kidding when he said it would shoot their time, it really did. Maka practically lived on the outskirts of the city.

"Holy crap Maka, you said an hour." Soul whined, his feet dragging.

"Oh keep up; you're really out of shape." Soul grunted not denying the fact as a bead of sweat dripped down his temple.

"Well…I am wearing black if you haven't noticed." He complained as his eyes wandered up to the sun. That mean cackling sun, oh if only that sun didn't have such an obnoxious looking face…is there such a world without a grinning mad sun? He doubted…

"Well we can take a break at my house for a bit, but we head straight to the cemetery after I grab my stuff!" She warned as she turned down another block. He questioned how many blocks they went down. It seemed like more than a hundred…

"Are we there yet?" He moaned.

"Yeah-huh," Maka turned yet again but this time up a little path way that lead up to an very large white house. Soul blinked at the white picket fence and the looming oak tree with the tire swing hanging off it.

"Well isn't this nice?" He murmured as he followed behind her. "How do you get to school everyday? Do you honestly walk?"

"No," she called back "I usually get a ride from Papa."

"Hell why didn't you ask one when we left Shibusen?"

"He still would've made you walked." Maka shrugged as she produced a pair of keys from her skirt pocket, he presumed.

"Duly noted." As they both entered into the home, Soul was blasted with a cold breeze. Air conditioning he figured.

"Alright I'll be a second. The kitchen is down the hall to the left if you want a drink, and take off your shoes…" He gave a nod as Maka chambered up the stairs to the right of them. Soul was left to wander into the large and expensive looking house. He guessed he was surprised at the luxury of it all…not that he was new to it, he practically was surrounded by it his whole life.

It's just that…there was only the two of them here? Did Maka even have a mother? He was left questioning as he went down the hall towards where the kitchen was. Noticing boxes crowding the hallway. He went pass the kitchen in favor of looking around the house and to see a lot of things were packed up. Like they both were getting ready to move, yet only Maka was suppose to be moving in with him.

Soul filtered along with his thoughts before a picture frame caught his eye. It wasn't boxed away like most things in the house were, but placed right a top a white fire place in the middle of the room. His eyes scanned the picture seeing three people together, Sprit who was near the top and he had cradled up in his arms a little Maka. Her hair in pigtails, much like her usual hair style but only shorter and chubby little cheeks. He smirked at the how cute the whole picture looked.

His eyes finally drifted to the other figure in the picture. A woman with a beaming smile but before he could fully stare at the woman he heard Maka cough behind him. Suddenly he felt really embarrassed.

"Ah, erm, sorry." He murmured quickly while putting the picture away. Maka glanced over his shoulder and noticed the frame, her left eye made this little twitch as he pulled back away from it.

"The kitchen's this way?" He pointed off in this random direction and strolled past her and found the kitchen easily. She didn't follow as soon as he thought she would, but when he found a cup in a box on the floor she stopped by the sink.

"There's some water in the fridge if you don't want tap water." She pointed behind him and he gave a nod. After chugging down a few glasses he studied the passive look on Maka's face. Probably off in dreamland…or just remembering past details. Whatever she was doing the silence was suddenly killing him. For some reason he hated it…more than he did in the past.

He shuddered.

"Oi, it's about time we got going, we don't have all day…" He pointed out, and thus breaking her out of her trance.

"Eh…yeah, yeah…the cemetery is a good two hour walk from here anyhow."

"Holy crap really? Were going to be out till midnight…" He whined.

"Well think of it like this, we'll be getting a lot of exercise."

"I think actually killing the thing would be good enough exercise…" Maka sighed.

------

"I hate this place, I hate this place, I hate this place…"

"Oh be quiet Soul, it's just over the hill."

"Do you even have any…buses in this town?" He questioned and Maka went quiet.

"Yes."

"Then why the hell did we walk?!"

"It would be good exercise!" Maka retorted and he grumbled in annoyance.

"Hell I need to get some sort of mode of transportation…"

-----

"YOU SAID IT WOULD BE OVER THIS HILL?!"

"Erm, maybe over that hill…"

"Are you lost?"

"No!"

"Good because that would be ridiculous, you getting lost in your own city."

"Shut up!"

"So you are lost!"

"No!" She yelped.

"Then what's with that tone?"

"I am not using a tone."

"Pfft…"

-----

"Hey do you think were going to be okay for this?" As the day slowly dragged on and the sun curved low down in the sky, Soul cast a lazy glance to his Meister.

"Okay?" He murmured, rubbing his chin in thought. "Who needs okay when you have perseverance?"

"Soul…" The obvious discomfort in her voice was annoying as he gave out a tired sigh.

"Yeah we'll be fine, just as long as you do not drop me, cause that would hurt."

"I won't drop you."

"How do you know? We never even…you know…" For some reason the thought was hard to speak out.

"Ah…yeah we haven't had we?"

"And here we are going off into battle…not even knowing if you can actually _handle_ me." He stressed on the handle part because he was stressing on it suddenly. I mean what if she couldn't hold him? Or what if he was too heavy for her, she looked so frail and tiny, what with her skinny arms and all. As he went over all the things that could go wrong between them one thought out of all of them, scared him.

What if she saw what he was?

"Why don't we try right now?"

"Eh?" It was interesting how easy she cracked away at his anxieties.

"Yeah why not? Transform! Do what you do and I'll…hold…you." Suddenly the worry in her voice was high and he cracked a smile. _Her_…holding _him_? Well when she said it like that, it made the outcome a little interesting to think about.

"Alrighty…erm hey I don't know about staying in the form. I haven't ever really stayed in it too long." He admitted suddenly.

"Well go for it and I'll stand right here." She backed up a few paces as if to give him some room. In truth it would be better if she stood right beside him because he wasn't sure if when he transformed fully if he would just float there.

"Okay, here I go."

Soul relaxed and that feeling of warmth that usually enveloped his swinging arm, circulated all through his body. It was different that's for sure, and the warmth centered right at his temples. As he completely disappeared in a flash of light, he noticed he was spinning. He wasn't sure if it was his doing but all his weight shifted and collided right into him. He quickly supported it and stopped spinning and noticed someone grabbing a hold of him. It was Maka and she gave him a twirl before stopping in a horizontal stance.

So to not get too dizzy he stumped the feeling of intense vertigo and relaxed in the black space inside of his transformed form. Floating there and blinking open his eyes he viewed the world through the blade that he usually looked down upon. It was weird and he couldn't describe the feeling of being wielded.

But, the world was slightly brighter.

-------

**Author's rant:** The immense joy at finishing this is overwhelming…I think when I actually finish the fic I'll be jumping for joy! Or something, well I'll be celebrating hardcore. Any who this chapter…was fun. I think I finished the last bit up in two days. Well starting from the part that Soul and Kidd started fighting over Blanket! Maka. I sat at the computer and typed away for three to four hours straight! So you know that a lot of work went into making this chapter.

Now about some of the relations between the characters. Preferably Soul, Kidd and Black Star. What I love about Okubo is how he created the interaction between the three boys. You all know that their good friends, extremely good friends and its not your normal cliché group of buddies. Well yes it is in some cases but…I can't explain it. ANYWAYS I love those three in the manga…it's a shame writing them practically hating on one another (well Kidd and Soul, Black Star's just in his own world) but back to the main point.

It'll be fun trying to quell over their faults with one another. It's just going to take a long time. Sadly. But stay tune! They shall all be good friends in the end, well I hope. I'm kinda worried over Soul killing Kidd…BUT PFFT LIKE THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

Or is it? O3o

OH and the next chapter should be up in a week's time! If it goes really well maybe in the next few days! (Don't cross your fingers though) THANKS FOR READING!


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